Ororo's Journey
by Mika Uriah
Summary: a 1992 Xmen TAS fanfic - takes place after the whole "Phoenix Saga" - After a torrid love affair with a fellow X-men; Storm is not only finding herself newly single, but, newly pregnant as well. -- Scott/Ororo - Logan/Ororo
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: the only thing I own here is the name Journey - everything else belongs to Marvel; I am just borrowing them and warping them slightly for my own personal amusement and entertainment.

I am making no profit out of this piece of fiction.

Special thanks: Thanks to Stacy (margret2u on here) who has kept me sane while writing this!!! love you girly, thanks! Seriously, if it wasn't for her, I don't think this ever would've been completed. Hope you like it.

A/N: This fic is rated M to keep myself sane for one scene in particular and one scene only, the rest is pretty much PG-13ish..maybe..lol

A/N 2: This Fic has taken me since April to write, and I put a lot of my heart into this fic, trying to get the emotions in the fic: and it was a challenge for me, not only have I dealt with multiple characters, I've also dealt with writing a few medical scenes as well as a full term pregnancy. I enjoyed the challenge. And I hope that you all enjoyed it as much as I loved writing it. (once I got over that writer's block.)

A/N 3: Ororo's Journey - is a 'pregnancy fic' actually quite literally from conception (well from when she finds out, to delivery) -- I have never given birth, no do I have children. So..I am sorry if I messed anything major up. Especially during the medical scenes that involve not only her but another important character.


	2. Chapter 2

Prologue: But, I still hate me more.

Ororo didn't know if she hated herself, or if she hated him more.

As a moan escaped her lips and she wrapped her slender fingers more into his hair she decided that it was definitely pretty damn near close to a tie.

She hated that the only way that they could be together was to sneak away special moments.

Ororo was the one who kept him warm at night.

His wife was the one who got his mornings.

It was herself she hated.

She had the best sex of her life with him; the majority of the night reaching usually multiple orgasms, but being a good fuck isn't a good reason for him to stay around now is it? For him to start telling her that he loves her instead of his wife.

It was him she hated.

Her thoughts started to blur together, her breath became more labored as she was on the verge of another Orgasm; her legs wrapped around his waist as he tried to get closer than she already was, his mouth assaulted her own as he let her ride it though.

The kisses though weren't because of his passion for her; it was to stop her from moaning to loud.

It was herself she hated.

"Ro – I" was his warning moments before his own orgasm, although he often asked her where she wanted him to cum; on or in etc...Tonight he just filled her with his seed, as her vaginal walls milked his unsheathed self dry.

She had the tendency to be a little more into it then his wife.

Unlike his wife she actually enjoyed the taste of his hot thick seed as it slid down her throat, the feel of the heat as it squirted on her breasts, stomach or sometimes when they were feeling really adventurous, she loved how it felt in between her ass cheeks.

Unlike his wife, Ororo also liked it when he pulled her snow-white hair and she got a little bit of a spanking: What's that? Ororo knows what his wife liked during sex? Of course she did, his wife was one of her best friends; and a fellow X-man.

She hated both of them.

There was many a Friday where his wife and Ororo would go out for cocktails, dinner, watch a chick flick; then they will come home, and Ororo would wait as friend's husband snuck away in the middle of the night to crawl in bed with her.

It was him that she hated.

He collapsed beside her on the bed, facing the ceiling; her head found the crook of his arm and her hand made light drawings of circles on his bare chest. He kissed her and waited a few moments for him to get his breath fully back before he started speaking "wow, Rory, damn!"

She smiled as she kissed his bare chest, this is the part where he would get dressed; wax poetically about how he'll leave his wife for her, and they too can get married, and where the naïve little girl takes over and she nods her head even though she knew she was the other woman and that will never happen.

Because, even though she had his body almost every night, and whenever he can sneak away – his wife had his heart and soul and that was way more important than how many times he made her orgasm.

She counted to ten in her head; and sure enough he kissed her on the cheek and he slowly got up off the bed and started to look for his clothes that were scattered amongst the plants in the attic of the mansion; truly Ororo's own private oasis.

She wrapped the white sheet around her chocolate skin and she watches him gets dressed, she loved how his mussed up hair made him look like a little boy.

She marveled at every: Freckle, scar and mole on his body, his muscles and how they moved and flexed while he got dressed.

How his smile was always a mixed of the sexy man that he was and the little boy that was still somewhere in side.

He walked towards her and kissed her one more time as he picked up his wedding ring from what was his side of the bed.

She wrapped the sheet up around her naked body tighter.

It was still herself that she hated.

"I love you, you know?"

She nodded, smiled, and brushed away some platinum hair that fell into her Ocean blue eyes.

"I want to leave her, I need to leave her, I just-"

"You don't know how."

"Right. I-" He adjusted his red-quartz sunglasses.

"You're sorry, I know Scott its okay."

She hated this conversation more than she could ever hate either one of them.

"I –uh" he waved mysteriously to the bedroom door.

No, she definitely hated him more

"Got to go, I know Scott."

He kissed her fore head and she smiled gently tonight wasn't going to be the night she asked him to stay; not like every other night. Why was she so fucking desperate to have him? Was it because Jean on her best day could never make him as happy as she can make him? She felt the sting of unshed tears in her eyes but she refused to cry.

She mentally gave him five minutes after the door quietly clicked shut; and she ran into the shower making it as hot as she could stand it, when the water hit her naked body she let the tears flow freely, she knew in her head that no matter how bad she begged him he wouldn't leave her.

No matter how many times he said he would.

She was naive, not stupid. She knew that you don't divorce the cow for the free milk. Not that Jean was a cow. Okay it was a stupid analogy, she admitted.

But, something in her heart still secretly begged to hope that her best friend will announce that she was getting a divorce, and her and Scott could be together soon.

Her body wracked with sobs; she sat in the bathtub as she let the shower run over her muscled, fit body.

Grieving for someone that she could never fairly love.

No matter what she tells herself, she would always hate herself more.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter one – The most advanced technology you'll ever pee on.

Ororo's affair with Scott started six months ago; during the whole Phoenix fiasco, when they both needed cheering up and consoling. Just after Jean and Scott's first wedding (this turned out not legally binding, since the priest was Morph) the affair was supposed to stop after they got her back, after they all sacrificed a little part of them selves for Jean to survive, but still Scott kept sneaking into Ororo's room to make love to her; Craving her touch like an addiction.

Some time during the six month on going affair, they had stopped using condoms.

The not using condoms, was their down fall. For Ororo just finished violently retching in the bowl of the toilet like she has every morning for the last almost two weeks; and she had a sneaking suspicion on why that was.

She sighed and washed her face, she looked in the mirror, her face flushed from being sick, her cerulean blue eyes red rimmed and tearing up, her white hair plastered to her face "Ororo Iqadi, how did you get yourself involved in this?" she whispered to the mirror.

Ororo walked into the medical lab of the mansion, where she saw Dr. Hank McCoy stocking some shelves with new material.

She knocked on the door, and she could always count on Hank to hold onto her secret, until she was ready, IF she had a secret to reveal; "Hank? Are you busy?"

The blue-furred scientist turned around and smiled, his eyes hidden between little black framed circular glasses. "No, Ororo please come in," he waved her in, "how can I help you?"

She sighed as she sat on the emergency room gurney, "I think I need a pregnancy test done."

Hank took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes; "okay, let me ask you a few questions first." She nodded and answered all of them truthfully. "Well, there is a very good chance that you are judging by the dates that you've given me. Let's do the test and we can discuss things afterward, hmmm?"

She nodded. He passed a sample cup and pointed to the bathroom "pee in this please, as much as you can." Chuckling at her grimace "it's not that bad."

"Says a member of the gender who can pee standing up," She muttered as she walked into the bathroom.

She came out a few minutes later with the urine filled cup and passed it to Hank; he took out a testing strip and placed it in the cup "it'll take a few minutes." He nodded and went back to her clipboard.

She nodded, and prayed; although she wasn't sure what she wanted the outcome to be.

Yes, she wanted children – and although she was only in her late twenties (okay early 30s) she felt her eggs drying up and soon to turn into dust.

On the other hand, if she was pregnant – the man who she often thought of as her brother.

Worst yet, her best friend's husband would be the father.

She sighed and ran her fingers through her snow colored hair.

"Do you have any preference? On whether you want to be or not?"

She shook her head "I have not thought of any of that yet, to be honest."

Beast nodded; "guess this was quite a shock to the system? I'm sorry if I am prying."

"Its okay, Hank," she took his large almost gorilla sized hand into hers.

He looked at the test strip and turned back to the African beauty; "Ororo, you might want to think about you are going to do if you are indeed pregnant." Her brows furrowed and he passed her the positive testing strip.

Ororo's hands started shaking and she dropped the test strip "Oh dear Goddess!" her hands rushed to her face and her body wracked with new emotion, Hank didn't need a window to know that all of a sudden it started to rain outside. "She is going to kill me, Hank, she might actually kill me." She spoke when the tears calmed down.

Hank was confused and made her bring her hands down from her face "she?"

"Jean."

Dr. McCoy didn't bother hiding his surprise "what does Jean have to do with how you gotten pregnant?"

"Scott is the father." She looked at him bluntly, shame in her ice-chipped color eyes.

Beast ran his hand through the fur on his face "oh dear." He patted his friend's hand "my door and my arms are always opened."

"Your arms?"

He nodded, "For hugs when need be."

She smiled, "Are they open now?" new tears streaming down her face; the mutant scientist enveloped her.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter two: well if she didn't know then…she knows now.

Ororo and Scott had made an unconscious decision when they first started sleeping together to avoid each other in moments where they will be alone and be made to look suspicious say if another X-man walked in on the couple.

So, Ororo had an issue – she didn't want to tell the whole team that she was pregnant at the very moment, but, at the same time, she wasn't sure how appropriate it would've been to drag Scott away from his wife to tell him privately.

She sighed and walked into the kitchen to grab some saltines to calm her stomach, of course Scott and Jean Summers had to be in the kitchen, she cursed silently and tried to make a quick exit, but, her best friend saw her before she could escape.

"Ororo!" the redheaded telepath looked ran over to Jean with something in her hands "Look what Scott gave me for our anniversary! Isn't it beautiful?" she held up a heart shaped white-gold locket with an inscription that read: _my friend, my wife, my heart, my soul_ on a thin piece of tiny chain.

The pregnant Goddess faked a smile "that is gorgeous, Jean!" Ororo shoved three or four saltines in her mouth to stop herself from throwing up. Not because of the pregnancy, but, because of the site of that damned locket.

"Ugh, Scott, I need to talk to you personally. About the mission we need to go on - For a second." She was a horrible liar; but, she was hoping that it sounded like official X-men business.

Scott glanced at Jean behind his red-quartz glasses "why not talk to Charles first?"

She sighed "because I need to talk to you first." She clenched her teeth.

Jean was confused; glancing between two people she shared the kitchen with "why not just say it, Ororo? I mean the three of us are part of the team. Aren't we?" her smile was sugary sweet.

Ororo fought the urge to roll her eyes "because, it is personal."

"Its personal, but you'll tell Scott over Charles?" she replied.

Ororo was on the verge of smacking her best friend.

"Too personal to tell your best friend?"

The weather witch's eyes clouded white and milky for a second and she stared at the heavens "fine. Jean, I am pregnant. But, I was hoping to keep it quiet for a while."

Jean let out an ear-piercing scream and she instantly enveloped her friend into a hug "that's fantastic honey!"

Ororo found herself throwing daggers at Scott.

Once Jean let her go, and leaned up against the counter and holds her hand "Scott isn't that wonderful?"

He sputtered and choked on his coffee and gave thumbs up and nodded.

"I didn't even know you were dating anyone. Do we know the guy?"

The X-woman with the code name of: Storm, smiled tightly, despite the situation "actually, you know him quite well, Jean." Ororo took a breath "does she not, Scott?"

"Scott? I –" she cocked her head to the side; it was all of a sudden making sense.

Perfume over the air that wasn't her own, long nights working and training, him not being in the mood for sex, "You?" she whipped around, her green eyes sparked a color he hasn't seen since she was phoenix.

When she didn't get an answer right away, she looked at her 'best friend' "him?" when the former pickpocket nodded, she slapped her hard across the face – hard enough for the slap to ring through the room and for a perfect hand print to form on Ororo's cheek.

At that moment; Logan and Remy heard the slap as they were entering the kitchen, saw Ororo's head whip to the side and a very angry Jean – almost immediately Logan and Remy turned around and stepped back out, just as quickly as they walked in.

Her cheek stung, but, she refused to react.

It was Scott's turn to feel the wrath of his wife "you slept with my best friend," each word was punctuated by a slap to either his arm or his chest "and" slap "you" slap "got her" double slap "pregnant!" the last word was a slap to the face, harder than the slap to Ororo's was. In-fact Scott tasted blood.

"Look Jeannie." He tried to wrap her arms around his wife, to calm her down; "Yes, Ororo and I had sex, that doesn't mean the baby is mine though. She jumped into bed with me without giving a fight, if she was that easy with me she would do it with anyone." His voice was cold, calculating and precise almost like he was reporting to Professor Xavier after a mission.

Ororo wasn't going to hit him, she'd leave that to Jean, and all she could do was keep apologizing to Jean and leave the room just as quietly as she came in.

Ororo was sitting in the library, sitting on the bench that was attached to the great big bay window that over looked the estate's back yard. She sighed, and rubbed her jaw one more time "is it really his?"

She nodded her head, not hearing when Jean Grey walked into the library, "I'm sorry Jay." Ororo stated sadly, using the nickname she given the telepath when they first met when they were teenagers.

The telepath sat beside the weather controlling mutant on the bench "I'm sorry too, I'm sorry I slapped you, I'm sorry. I'm happy for you, I'm just hurt. Scott and I were trying since our 'honey moon' to get pregnant."

Ororo chewed on her full bottom lip, and bit back a very un-goddess like cuss word. "Some best friend, huh? Goddess Jean. I am so sorry." More tears streamed down her cheeks "Stupid Hormones." She grinned. "Are you and Scott okay?"

Jean shook her head "I can't be with someone who cheated on me and didn't tell me – I mean I know I'm a telepath, and I had my suspicions – but he cheated on me for how long? And with my best friend! And I'm supposed to trust him with other stuff? I want you to know though. If we get a divorce, Ororo; it isn't your fault, okay? I mean this was just the straw that broke the camel's back as it were."

Ororo wasn't sure if she should give information on the affair; she thought about her own life, would she want to be the know how an affair started between her husband and best friend? She wasn't sure. She kept her mouth shut.

On the other hand, she didn't want to be responsible for her friend's divorce; she found herself nodding in agreement, although she wasn't sure why anymore.

Did Jean just smile?

"Wanna know the ironic thing about this?"

"What?" she found her hands placed on her still flat stomach.

"I always thought we'd be the Godmothers of each other's children…"

Ororo laughed at the irony "instead you are the stepmother of mine."

"I promise I won't be wicked."

"I can handle that." The two grinned at each other and hugged one more time "I wanted to tell you...I just…kept chickening out."

Jean pressed her fingers to her friend's lips "Sssshh, don't be stupid, I don't blame you. I'm just hurt. Ya know?"

Ororo nodded, "Are we okay?"

"We will be."

Somehow that was all the convincing the newly pregnant Goddess needed.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter three: What? My What?

During the beginning of her tenth week: Scott, Ororo, Hank and Jean were all sitting around in the kitchen table; the weather witch was trying not to kill Scott Summers with a stray bolt of lightening. "You want me to, what? My what?"

"I want you to abort the pregnancy." He was calm, a lot calmer than the weather goddess was. Thunder cracked and lightening hit the ground dangerously close to the window that they were sitting in front of.

"Fuck you." She was vehement, and lost all sense of normal conversation.

"It's my baby too, Ororo. You're being unreasonable."

"I thought I was a whore and it was not yours?"

Even the self-possessed Hank found himself in taking a sharp breath at the offending words.

Scott sneered "Ororo, I didn't say you were a whore, I said you were easy."

Hank and Jean watched and waited as Ororo balled her hand into a fist. "Scott, Jean – I am sorry, but I am keeping this child, and, Scott you should have thought of the consequences, before you had sex. We both should have. Now, excuse me. This is not worth it, anymore." She left the kitchen.

Scott leaned over and whispered loud enough, for just Hank and Jean to hear "you really don't think she should keep it do you Jean?"

It was Jean's turn to up and leave "I don't think I should say anything without our lawyers present." She left to go find her friend.

It was raining outside the mansion for the sixth time this week, and it was only Wednesday; Hank sighed "as someone who helps in the legal field you do have rights, Scott – of course so does she. As her medical advisor she has until the twelfth week to abort-_if she chooses too_. However, if I may speak as a friend to the two of you? You my friend are sincerely an ass hole." With that, Beast left Scott alone with his own thoughts.

Back in Ororo's room, the two women were sitting on the bed, Ororo was cuddling a pillow crying "maybe he is right Jean," Between sobs.

"What are you talking about?"

"It will start too many rumors, too many questions; what will the team think?"

Dr. Grey-Summers had known Ororo for a very long time and as long as she knew her, Jean had always known Ororo as someone who was very much 'pro-life' as opposed to 'pro-choice.'

Jean took her hand; "if you want to do what you are thinking about doing, do it because you thought about long and hard; don't do it because my husband asked you to. To be completely honest, you don't have to tell the team anything you don't want to. They can't force you to tell them who the Dad is."

"I know, it is just…"

"It's just what?"

The one with the child growing in her womb; took a deep cleansing yoga breath "I do not know if I can do this."

The married redhead took a slender finger and put it under, Ororo's chin "look at me, you can do this; and, not only can you do this – but you are going to be great at it. I promise. I see you with the children in the neighborhood; you are a natural. You are going to be amazing at this."

Ororo smiled "really?"

"Really." Jean returned the smile.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Four: More than you know.

The Goddess waited for the recommended twelve weeks to tell the rest of the team that she was pregnant.

She did it in a meeting; it was one of the only few times that they group was ever together in a formal setting: Professor Xavier went over an upcoming mission, and he was about to dismiss the meeting when Ororo put up her hand "yes, Storm; do you have a question about the mission?"

"Yes and No Charles."

"Oh?"

"I am pregnant, and I am not sure how that will effect my mutation; I am not sure if I can go on the mission with the rest of the team."

His brow furrowed and his lips pulled down into his thinking face "I am not sure Storm, I-wait what did you just say?"

Ororo smiled "About me not being able to on the mission? Or about me being pregnant?"

Rogue, Logan and Gambit all offered their congratulations, a long with Professor Xavier: she of course was bombarded with many questions, But, she saved face.

"Yes, you guys do know the father but who he is not important," She projected to Xavier; Scott's face "he is not in my life anymore, not in that capacity anyway. It is okay though I can do this on my own."

Logan grinned "now, what makes ya think ya goin' ta be alone on this?"

Rogue hugged her friend "ya what makes ya think that?"

"Oui Chere?"

"You guys really mean that?"

They nodded.

Her eyes met with Cyclops laser visor, in a look of 'I told you.' "Thank you, all of you."

Xavier offered his hand in congratulations and smiled "we'll figure out what to do about your mutant powers, Ororo, but I'm sure you'll do just fine.'

She nodded her thanks; and with that the meeting was dismissed.

Logan found Ororo in her green house working on the plants, she was standing on a step ladder trying to get a bag of soil down from a high shelf; he walked up behind her and spoke "ya shouldn't be up on that ladder in yer condition."

Startled, she turned around, forgetting she was on the ladder and almost fell. As usual, Logan was there to catch her; "Sorry, Logan." She smiled.

"Fallin' fer me are ya?" He could have at the moment set her back down onto solid ground, but he didn't, he continued to hold her there, in his arms. Watching the ice-chunks she called eyes.

She chuckled in spite of herself "you know lines like that is what go me in this 'condition.'" She found herself standing on solid ground again, him still smiling.

He hopped up on the ladder, waiting for her to point to what she needed – he brought down the 30 pound bag of soil "Jeez, this is heavy." He groaned and put it on the floor beside her feet, "Anything else?"

She shook her head "no, thank you though."

He nodded a gruff response "look 'Ro, I know ya don't want to talk about – ya know? But, I was serious when I said, that ya don't have to do this on ya own." He took a step closer to her, he rested a hand on her slightly fuller stomach, she is going to start showing in a few weeks; "ya need anything ya call, kay?"

She nodded.

" I mean it, even if ya need to teach the tyke to play baseball or something, I'm here ya got it?"

She nodded and smiled "I know, I appreciate it; Are you happy you are going to be an uncle?"

He wanted to be more; he wanted the baby to be half his, not that he'd tell her that. "Yeah, I never thought it was going to happen. I jus' don't think Chuck is too happy about being a Grandfather yet."

Her nose crinkled when she laughed; "I am sure he will come around."

He leaned in and brushed her lips with his own.

She waited five years for this to happen, but she shrugged him off. "Logan, I cannot."

"Oh." He bowed his head, was that disappointment?

"No, no it is not you." She rubbed a hand through her thick white mane "it is just, look, I was burned by this guy; I want this...I want us...it is just...I do not think I'm ready. I do not know if I can handle being burned again."

He nodded,"I can deal with that. That's fair. You gonna tell me who this guys is so I can kick his ass for hurtin' ya?"

She laughed, it was earthy and quiet "what is in the past, is in the past Logan."

He nodded "I can deal with that, but, you know he's an idiot, right?"

It was her turn to agree "more than you know, Logan, more than you know."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter five: movement.

For the last four weeks; ever since she announced the rest of the team that she was pregnant, and was keeping the baby; She was hurt, that he didn't want nothing to do with his child – she couldn't understand what would cause a man to just walk out on his child – unborn or not.

She knew he wasn't worth it, but with Scott and Jean's divorce almost final, it was hard not to think about what could've been between herself and the father of her child.

Why was she still thinking of the man who abandoned her, and his child – when she had a perfectly good man obviously cared for her, in Logan?

She sighed, and put the book that she was reading on the table; and sighed again. "You okay?" The voice belonged to wheelchair bound Charles Xavier; she didn't hear him roll into the study because of the plush carpet.

She tried to get up from her lounging position on the couch, but, he signaled for her to lay back down "no, no lay back down." His face was full of fatherly concern.

"I am okay, I am just tired, and cranky and--"

"Pregnant?" he smiled.

"Right," She swallowed "Did you come in here to ask me who the father was?"

He shook his head "I already know." He pointed to his temple when she shot him a questioning look, "You projected it in the meeting to me, well that and Scott already told me."

"Oh. I do not know how it happened, I..."

"Don't worry about that. I just wanted to know how you're feeling. You've had quite a big shock to your system, over the last sixteen weeks." He took her hand.

"Ashamed, Scared, Happy, All at once; you know?" he nodded and she continued, "I understand that I am not doing this on my own, and I love that I have the love and support of my family; it is just that--"

"It is not the same without having the father in your life?"

"Right, I am sorry. I know that sounds self-fish, it is just that; this is not how I imagined this happening." Suddenly she grabbed the leg closest to the professor's wheel chair and she started groaning in pain.

"Ororo? Are you all right?" Not sure what to do, for one of his 'daughters.'

"I am not, sure-" she half massaged her leg, but, she still moaned in pain "I think I have a cramp."

The paralyzed man cocked his head to the side and tried to suppress a laugh "may I," he took her long, dancer leg, into his hands and started to massage the cramp out, slowly, as to not to hurt the wind rider, "so how does your doctor say that your pregnancy is going?"

Ororo made an incoherent sound and attempted to sit up a little more on the couch "apparently it is perfect. I have gained 'the perfect amount of weight so far' and everything is going 'exactly right' but if everything is going so 'perfectly' and 'so great,' than why is it I am so fat I cannot fit into the clothes I did last week? And if Rogue tells me that I am glowing one more time I am going to shoot her in the ass with lightening."

Thanks to the mood swings, conversations with her have been a bit more entertaining.

Professor Charles Xavier laughed so hard he almost dropped the foot that he was still holding "you aren't fat, you're pregnant."

She looked at him indignantly: "I'm fat." Her eyes shone with unshed tears, thanks to the hormones.

Charles didn't have to be a telepath to know that he was going to loose this argument "fine." He said smiling "Your fat."

She laughed in spite of herself; and he put down her leg "thank you, professor."

"Any time."

The conversation happened between Charles and Ororo happened on the Monday, On Wednesday she had her week sixteen doctor's appointment; as usual she went alone. She was getting tired of doing everything alone.

She was sitting in the kitchen by herself looking at the sonogram photos, the child that was growing inside of Ororo Munroe, was looking more like an actual human being now; there was enough calcium in the bones where she could see the little bones in the hand up against the camera, she chuckled when she first saw it because she it looked like the little one was waving 'hello' to everyone; but, then she couldn't help crying, because she was witnessing such a beautiful miracle on her own.

Maybe for the next appointment she could ask someone to go with her, Rogue perhaps? Jean? Logan?

She would like to hold Logan's hand and watch his reaction as they watched her baby grow and move and somersault inside of her womb. She sighed. He would be never go for something like that, he would not be into such bonding experiences; would he?

"What are ya lookin' at 'Ro," she jumped not realizing any one was in the room with her "sorry, I didn't mean ta scare ya."

She turned around "Oh, hello, Logan. You did not scare me, its fine. I was just deep in thought."

"Oh yeah? 'Bout what?"

"About how real this is becoming." She walked over to him and showed him the picture the sonogram technician gave to her at the appointment.

"Wow! 'Ro, I – congratulations Darlin,' really! – This is…Wow!"

"It is pretty neat."

"Definitely, may I?" he acknowledged her larger, fuller stomach, and she nodded, he put a roughed callous masculine hand on it and smiled "what do you know of this guy any way 'Ro?'

"Enough."

"Such as?"

She ran her hands through her hair "he is white not that, that matters." Logan nodded "he has brownish-reddish hair, the same eye colour as his dad well did. He is a mutant...and he is married." She waited for the lecture.

Logan laughed instead; "Sorry, 'Ro, I don't mean to laugh – its just that sounds a lot like Sc!" he studied her face; "Scooter knocked you up? Jean's Scooter?"

"Yes, Jean's Scott, he knows – they both know, but do not go around wanting to slice and dice him, I am just as in the wrong as he was. I knew he was married and I slept with him anyway. But, it is over between us now."

Logan touched his forehead to hers "that's why he's avoiding you, huh," she nodded and he cupped her stomach with both hands "he don't know what he's missing."

Ororo shrugged, she realized she's been doing that a lot lately "I gave him ample opportunity to get involved, he does not want it."

"I have ta admit, I find myself wondering what it'd be like if a woman was pregnant with my child."

She accepted his help, as he helped her to sit down; chuckling as he walked over to the fridge to pour her a glass of cold milk "Logan? a father? I had no idea you thought about such things."

He leaned up against the counted by the fridge and blushed slightly as he opened his beer "I thought about being the father of your baby."

She coughed and sputtered the milk everywhere "you what?"

"I thought about it. I also thought about different ways I'll tell ya that I love ya, and where I would take ya out on dates; as if you'd ever have me. I thought about how I'd propose, and what you'd look like in your wedding dress. I thought about feeling the baby move, and me massaging your feet, as we argue over baby names and the colours of the nursery."

He sighed and blushes a deeper shade of red "I thought about it since I've first met you, Ororo, when you were wearing that Teal summer halter dress with the ballet flats. I thought about it when, you saved me from killing Juggernaut, I've thought about it when Forge left ya; Me lovin' ya is all I think about, that and a good cigar." He swallowed a sip of his beer and he watched her get up and move towards him.

"Five years I have waited for you to say all of that too me. Five freaking years." She half laughed and half cried "Why did you tell me now? Why now, I can't give you that now? You cannot possibly still want all that, when I am pregnant with someone else's baby. Logan, be serious."

He picked her up and sat her up on the counter, cupping her stomach one more time "Darlin' when I talk about you bein' in my life, I can't be any more serious, I love ya Ororo, and the baby – weather it's mine or not. I could be a husband to ya and a father; if ya want it."

She nodded, and placed a hand on his, which was still on her stomach.

It was Logan her first felt the soft flutter against his calloused hand; "Uh, 'Ro? What was that?"

"What was what, love?" trying to the nickname to see how he would react.

"I just felt something move, look put your hand right here." He moved her hand and she waited a few seconds "feel it?"

She shook her head negatively: "it was probably the elastic in my underwear snapping, again. Sorry." She chuckled.

At that moment she felt it too; soft, almost gentle, like butterfly wings fluttering against her fingers. "Lo-Logan. I think that was the baby," She grinned.

Panic for Logan set in "is everythin' okay? You want me to go get Blue?"

She laughed and put his hand on her stomach one more time; she read in one of her 'journey to motherhood books, that this was around the stage she'd feel the baby beginning to move,"It is moving look feel again."

He grabbed her by the neck and kissed her: softly, passionately, a kiss that said, 'I love you more than life it self' all with in a few seconds of his lips touching hers.

"Thank you for sharing it with me, I love it, I love you. I love both of you – as if you were my own – I just wanted you to know."

She retuned the kiss and looked into his eyes "we love you to, Logan."

As they were about to kiss for the third time the thoughts of Charles Xavier prompting them popped into their heads {my X-men, I'm sorry I need you.}

They both knew the third kiss would have to wait, duty called.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter six: There has been an accident.

Logan, Hank, Remy and Ororo were on their to the hospital, not because anything was wrong with 16 week pregnant Ororo, but because the mind prompt from Xavier was to tell them that almost divorced couple; Scott Summers and Jean Grey was in a horrible car accident; Charles Xavier was only in contact with Jean – which meant one of two things for Scott, no one wanted to think about what either one meant.

It is exactly a nine minute drive between the X-mansion and Northern West Chester Hospital, in between which is Jean's lawyer a Miss. Anastasia Clarkson; where Scott was driving Jean to since Jean's car was in the shop thanks to a blown gasket that Logan couldn't fix.

Everything lurched into Ororo's throat when on their way to the hospital they had to drive passed the crime scene; Scott's black Honda Civic was being towed away from the crime scene: with front end damage so bad the hood of the car was up against the shattered windshield and you could see the inner workings of the poor civic.

It seemed like a Burnt Orange BMW was involved in the crash as well, At least Logan thought it was a BMW, the car was so banged up it was barely recognizable.

No body missed the Crime Scene Investigators, Police men, Fire firefighters and Paramedics that were roving the scene, putting out fires and collecting various evidence for the investigation.

Logan tried to cover Ororo's eyes from the bloody sheet hiding a body in the middle of the road, it was too late. She saw it as well, and retched until she was sick in an old take out bag, Remy found under the seat; "why is there a sheet? Why would there be a sheet? Unless someone is dead? Is someone dead?"

Logan took her by the hand and rubbed her back as big tears dropped fell from her eyes "honey, if someone died in the accident – that don't mean that its Scott– he could be perfectly fine."

Remy nodded in agreement "Remy agree wit Logan, it must be a bon sign dat we are 'eading towards de hôpital and not de morgue, hmm?" Ororo cried harder, and Beast nudged Remy hard enough to keep him from talking any more in the car ride.

Four x-men stormed the emergency room to North West Chester Hospital; Hank McCoy was the first one to reach that triage desk and talk to an attractive nurse with sable hair wearing Winnie the pooh nursing scrubs "may I help you?" she was totally unfazed by Hank's blue furry body and face; that he was trying to hide under a trench coat and hat.

"Yes, we are looking for our friends; they were in a car accident and we were told that we could find them here."

The nurse with the name tag that read 'Sandrine' spoke with a small tired smile; "what are your friends' names?"

"Jean Grey-Summers and Scott Summers."

Sandrine with the sable hair nodded, "I'll go check."

Beast looked at the rest of his team "looks like all we can do now is: wait."

It took five minutes, before Sandrine came back from the emergency room to talk to Hank and the rest of the team: "I'm sorry you can go see Mrs. Grey-Summers, but Mr. Summers is still in surgery."

The team looked at each other with worry "Surgery?"

Sandrine nodded "I don't know anything about that; you'll have to find his doctor, in the surgical waiting room. Mrs. Grey-Summers though is in emergency room bed nine."

Everyone nodded their thanks, and walked into the swinging doors quietly; not too sure on what to expect.

The Xmen tried to ignore the screams of pain, and mourning in the emergency room; they walked passed the stroke patient, and the nine month old with chicken pox, they walked past a little quicker when they passed by the guy who got into a fight and was in the very obvious need of many stitches to the face.

Logan hated hospitals; the last time he was in a hospital they infused his skeleton with adamantium; but, he had to get over that for Jean and Scott's sake.

He had to get over that if his now girlfriend was going to have a baby in twenty-four weeks.

Almost sensing his thoughts, the woman he just deemed as his girl friend

grabbed his hand and pulled back the curtain of Room nine – expecting the very worse.

Jean was beat up, but nothing to serious a few Band-Aids wouldn't fix up. One of her green eyes was blackened and bruised, she had a few cuts from where the windshield cut up her face, hands and neck, a long with a cast on her right wrist; but, other that she looked like she was going to hold up.

"Jean! What happened? Are you okay?" Ororo was the first one to wrap her delicate arms around the neck of her best friend.

Crying, the redheaded x-woman hugged her back; "hey guys, I'm okay – just a broken wrist and a really bad headache, a few scrapes. How is Scott?"

Logan rested a hand on her shoulder "we dunno darlin' we just came and ran in here ta see you. We can go find him if ya want though. Why don't you tell us what happened, first?" He didn't want to say anything about him being in surgery.

The telepath took a deep breath, and with her arms still wrapped around Storm she started her story: "There isn't a lot to tell, Scott was driving me to my lawyer's office, because my car is still in the shop. He waited for me in the car, and he was going to drop me off back at the mansion. We were on our way back, and we started arguing, saying how if it wasn't for," she glanced at Ororo and stopped talking, for a second.

"It is okay, go on, child." Ororo brushed the hair from Jean's neck in a lovingly mother-like gesture.

Jean took a breath before she started continuing "saying how if it wasn't for the incident then we wouldn't have to be getting a divorce."

Remy was confused "w'at incident, was Scott talkin' 'bout?" his thick Cajun accent masking his words.

Ororo rolled her eyes and pointed at her swelling belly.

Remy's eyes widened and he smiled smugly "Remy see."

Jean continued "Anyway, we were arguing cause I thought it was ridiculous, Scott would even make such an accusation – Ororo didn't get herself pregnant using Scott's 'little soldiers.' So, I said that if anyone was to blame, it was him NOT, 'Ro."

Ororo was going to correct her but thought against it at that moment "go on."

"We started arguing about the situation, and he took his eyes off the road for a second it was only a second and-" tears started to well in her eyes, but, she willed them away "a-a car was speeding he ran the red light. Scott-" Jean was crying too hard to continue she leaned herself into Ororo's breast and sobbed uncontrollably.

Ororo hugged her to her breast and shushed her quietly "why don't two of you go and see if you can find Scott. The nurse said he was still in surgery."

Jean looked at the team; her face streaked with mascara ran tears "surgery?"

Ororo rubbed her back "it is okay, Jean, the men will figure out what is going on." Beast and Remy were already half way down the hall.

Logan picked up a black marker pen and started doodling little chibi versions of the Xmen on Jean's cast to pass the time.

He really did hate hospitals.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter seven: News, NICU and Jell-o

It was three hours, before Hank McCoy and Remy LeBeau came back to room nine of the emergency room, both of them had an exhausted defeated look on their faces.

Logan reached over and woke up the sleeping girls, who laid side by side and wrapped in each others arms on the gurney "girls, girls! Wake up!" slowly the girls came around, untangling each other from each others limbs and rubbing their eyes trying to gain remembrance of where they were.

Jean was the first one to recognize Hank; grabbing his large blue furry hand she continued "how is he, Hank? How's Scott?"

Moments like this, Hank McCoy hated being a doctor, he hated delivering the bad news; he rubbed the back of his furry neck and looked at Remy for support "Non, Mon Ami dere be too many big words for Remy to repeat. You better do the 'onurs wit' dis one."

Hank realized he was still holding Jean's hand he stared at her and spoke softly, "you want the good news or the bad news first?"

"Bad news?" Jean felt her best friend's arms wrap around her waist in support.

"Bad news is that his chest hit the steering wheel column of the car – he has six broken ribs, some bruising on the spinal column, a first grade concussion, and a broken sternum. They weren't going to worry about, it at first – until he started showing signs of atelectasis and what appeared to be a blunt myocardial injury."

Logan spoke for the rest of the group "I'm wit' the Cajun – there was too many big words in that sentence. Say it slower, blue."

"The steering column hit his chest: aside from the broken ribs, concussion and bruising. He has a broken breast bone, which they weren't going to worry about until he started showing signs of a collapsing lung and a bruised heart."

Jean was thankful that Ororo was holding on to her and she was sitting down, because she was sure she would've collapsed, she felt hot tears stream down her face again "what is the good news?"

"Well, he came out of surgery and everything went smoothly, they do have him sedated and he is in ICU, we can not go in and see him because we are not his family, you can though because you are still technically married; IF you want.

They have him hooked up to an ECG to make sure that no arrhythmias happen since the injury to his chest was severe. They are going to give him Chest pressure therapy similar to that of patients with cystic fibrosis, and see how he responds to it. Now, Jean – there maybe a chance that if infection sets in he will need to be intubated. I know how badly that sounds. But, at least you are both a live; and his injuries could have been a lot worse."

Ororo was trying to listen to details, but, she couldn't seem to concentrate. Her heart was pounding in her ears, her palms were sweaty, and she felt tightness in her chest – her breathing was becoming short and erratic, and…were the walls closing in?

"I-I-I am sorry," she tried to concentrate on other things but nothing seemed to work

"'Ro? You okay?"

"Jean, I am sorry" _breath, just breath and you'll get through this,_ "I – I need to go – I" she ran out of emergency room, before anyone can stop her.

Jean bowed her head, she knew what was going on "I'll be okay one of you guys go check on her, she can't be having panic attacks while pregnant. We don't need a third one to end up in the hospital. Do we?" she almost chuckled at the thought, almost.

She found herself staring at the large window where the new born babies laid in the nursery. Dozens of them, looking like little pink and blue burritos all cuddled in their very own cribs.

Some moving about but staying quiet, one or two have already discovered their hands, some were crying and trying to reach out to grab someone's attention.

Her breathing calmed down long ago, and the walls stopped closing in on her; but, she couldn't bear to go back and face the rest of the team, especially not Jean.

Knowing that it was partially her fault on why Scott was in the ICU drove her to have a near panic attack.

She walked down the hallway a bit and found the N.I.C.U, and touched the glass. Inside were babies fighting for their lives, for the right to breathe on their own; Some where so tiny they couldn't even keep themselves warm.

Her head rested against the glass, her mind was wrapped around making everything try to go right, and she didn't worry about the things that could go wrong in the situation.

"Ya shouldn't worry yourself over things ya can't control."

It was Logan's voice; she would recognize his voice anywhere "easier said than done." Her hand touched the class one more time; she waved another hand at the nurse who waved first; "what am I going to do Logan?"

The man shrugged even though she couldn't see, he walked up behind her and put his hands around her swelling belly, it could have easily been covered up with a jacket or a baggy sweater – but she liked her new curves, she leaned her back against his chest and listened his heart beat "how did you know where I would be?"

"I didn't. I had a few ideas,though,Scott being in the ICU isn't your fault, 'Ro its that guys fault who hit 'em."

"But, if they were not arguing about…"

"About what? About him cheating on her? What if it wasn't you he was cheating with? What if were someone else? What if he didn't cheat on Jean? What if they were arguing about something else entirely? They were ALWAYS arguing. It wasn't your fault, darlin.'"

He felt her nod against his chest.

"Ya can't stress yourself over stuff like this, especially now."

She nodded her head again.

"If you know all of this than why am I telling ya'?" he smiled in her white hair as they watched an infant in an incubator clench and unclenched her tiny hands.

"Because I need to hear it."

"There is something else bothering you isn't there?" She was quiet, "Darlin'?"

She nodded her chin towards the window "there is so much stuff that can go wrong; especially with both of us being mutants. I – I just don't want to mess this up."

He led her away from the neonatal window and towards the hospital elevator "but think about everything that can go right. If all you dwell on his the negative, that's all you'll find."

She looked at him in the eyes "that is very profound, Logan."

He shrugged "I speak from experience."

"May I ask how did you stop yourself from dwelling on the negative?"

He kissed her softly, and pulled away when the chime of the elevator told them that it had arrived "easy." He smiled and walked into the elevator "I found you." He stopped the elevator door from closing before she got slammed between the door and the wall "ya' comin'?"

Back downstairs the rest of the team: Hank and Jean, was waiting for them in the lobby.

"Absolutely not, there is no way, just because she smiled at me does not mean that she is interested in a social gathering."

"Just do it, Hank."

It was obvious to the approaching mutants that Jean was trying to pressure Hank into something; The blue-furred scientist was blushing, it was Logan who spoke up "hey what's goin' on?"

"It seems that Miss. Grey-Summers here, wants to me ask the nurse in the emergency room, Sandrine, on a date."

Ororo smiled, _why was Jean always playing match maker?_ "Sandrine? She was cute." She blushed for some unknown reason "why not do it, Hank?"

He shook his head, "I will go wait in the car." He turned to leave shyly.

"Wait; what is going on? How come Jean is coming with us? Where is Remy?"

"Everything is okay, except for Scott – obviously. But, I will come visit him tomorrow; I was just discharged from emergency with orders to rest for at least 24 hours, and, we don't want you here any longer than you have to be. We don't know where Remy went, he told us he'll be back though, that he had to go do something." Jean shrugged, "You ready to go home? How are you feeling?"

Ororo smiled her feel real smile all week "better now that I know at least one of you are okay, I am sorry about taking off before." She stopped talking when Jean shook her head as a sign 'not to worry about it,' the women hugged "I guess we should wait for Remy?"

As soon as the beautiful wind rider gotten the words out of her mouth, Logan pointed to him running down the hall a short distance with something in his hand "Sorry, 'bout dat." He passed Ororo a small dish of green Jell-O from the hospital cafeteria "Remy 'eard that Stormy 'ad a cravin' for some lime Jell-O" his Cajun accent masked played with ends of words like a cats tail "so Remy went to go get Stormy some." Remy gave a kiss on Ororo's cheek, and she smiled, as they all left the hospital.

Somehow, the Jell-o made a point to Ororo, that no matter what went wrong from this point out, she truly had to believe in the promises that her family have given her.

They are there to help, even if was over just the small things.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter eight: surviving

She wasn't sure how she did it; but the now very obviously pregnant Ororo Munroe, who was now starting in her twenty-fourth week of pregnancy, had survived.

Up to this point: she had survived the attacks of nausea during the most inopportune times (she is still apologizing for throwing up on Logan), she had survived the sore and tender breasts, the weird cravings (in which the 'might as well be vegan' Goddess still thanks Hank; for a trip to an 'open all night' Wendy's. Because she had a craving for chili at 11:30 at night), the entire team learned to deal with the mood swings, but honestly you try not crying at those hallmark commercials.

She dealt with her feet swelling (thanks to Remy for the massages), and of course the initial shock of getting pregnant in the first place, she even survived the obligatory hospital tour where she decided to deliver the baby, with Hank as the one delivering her child.

Of course their was somethings that the very pregnant Ororo almost did not survive as well: Jean and her going shopping for all the necessities a baby needed – Thank the Goddess for Wal-Mart.

Ororo also didn't think that she'd survive the argument with Jean on if she should have a baby shower–Stupid party games with close pegs and paper plate hats adorned with gift bows.

However; more recently Ororo didn't think she'd survive the fit of laughter she was in, Logan who was rather intrigued about the whole birthing process, was trying to get Remy into the birthing position so he could get practicing being the labor coach.

He _was _trying to get Ororo to do it (since he believed she needed as much practice as he did) but gave up when she threatened to suck his Harley Davidson up into a 'freak tornado' if he didn't leave her alone.

"Non, Non! Remy love you two like famille, mais Remy 'ave to draw de line some where mon ami, Remy can breathe jus' fine standin' up, sorry chere, nuh-uh, non. Stormy, tell Logan dat Remy don't have to be de woman to help you 'ave le petite."

She tried, but she was too busy laughing.

"Cajun, sit!"

"Non!"

Ororo had the sneaking suspicion that this was going to start a fight; and she didn't want to be around when a lamp broke, again.

She quietly attempted to get up off of the couch and make her way past the arguing men, her eyes filled with tears from laughing so hard; she abruptly stopped when she found a person staring at them off in a distance, with a sad look on her face. Her best friend in the whole world: Rogue.

Rogue was trying to avoid Ororo since she first announced her pregnancy, it wasn't that she wasn't happy for her best friend, or that she didn't agree with how she gotten pregnant.

In a strange way, Rogue had never been happier for her friend, had never seen the African beauty so calm, so serene. She wanted very much to be apart of what her best friend was dealing with. She was just…what was the word, scared? X-woman don't get scared.

"You have been avoiding me," the Southern woman jumped and yelped, not hearing anyone sneak up behind her, leave it to Ororo to walk as quietly as the flapping wings of the butterfly "is everything okay between us?"

"Of course,"

"Rogue; tell me the truth have you been ignoring me or avoiding me because you are upset that I am pregnant?"

Rogue was so shocked at what Ororo had just said to her, she turned around so quickly on the freshly waxed hardwood floor she thought she would break her ankle. "What?" she was genuinely surprised at what Ororo had just said to her.

"You heard me." Ororo took her friend by the hand and led her away from prying ears amongst the walls of the mansion.

"'Ro, Ahm not ignorin' ya, 'cause ah hate the fact that yer pregnant; or whateva." Her response was just above a whisper, "ahm avoid' ya 'cause ah don't wanna accidentally mess this up for ya." The woman with the southern lilt to her voice rubbed her gloved hands down the legs of her pants.

The 24 week pregnant Goddess looked at her friend incredulously "what in the name of the Bright Lady are you talking about?"

"Ah'm talkin' 'bout me accidentally touchin' ya and killing ya or the babe ya carryin', Ro, Ah see ya all smiles when ya talkin' about da little one, and Ah want nothin' more than to share in my best friend's joy; but, Ah don't wanna accidentally touch ya and have somethin' happen 'cause mah powers decide ta act dumb." The Mississippi born Mutant wiped the tears from her eyes and sat down on the floor of the mansion.

The white-haired mutant attempted to sit down beside her, she placed her mocha colored hand in the gloved hand of Rogue's; "Rogue, listen to me. This child is going to live in the mansion and he or she is probably going to be a mutant itself; They need to get used to every one's powers – and I don't want Auntie Rogue hiding herself in her room because she is afraid to dole out hugs. Okay?"

Rogue sniffed again "'Kay."

Ororo smiled and took the sleeve of her shirt to wipe her friend's tears, then led her friend's hand down to her swollen womb; Rogue pulled back but the soon – to – be mom insisted with a smile "stop and wait." She pressed the gloved hand to her belly and there was a friendly silence as they waited.

The power-absorbing mutant gasped as she felt the uterus underneath her hand contract lightly thanks to the hard kick the x-baby that laid in wait had given to Ororo's ribs. "Wow…was that…?" Ororo smiled and nodded "…and it just…" it was a rare moment that the younger mutant with the two-toned hair was speechless and the weather witch got a kick out of it. "…that was…"

"Cool?" Ororo completed her friend's sentence, as she wondered how long it would take her to get up from the sitting position from the floor, now that the baby's feet was up into her rib cage.

"Yeah," a grin split Rogue's face as she rested a glove hand on Ororo's curvaceous stomach again to feel her future niece or nephew somersault.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter nine: crib dreams and bloody wake up calls

Ororo often found herself wondering if her mother, N'Dare, would approve of her lifestyle. Would the Princess of her tribe appreciate that her daughter is fighting for good over evil?

Would N'Dare like the fact that her daughter is an independent, educated American Woman - who spoke three languages fluently and held several degrees under her belt?

Would the wife of photographer David Munroe look down on her only daughter because she was impregnated by a married man? (Never mind the stuff that she did in her past to survive.)

Storm shook her head and rubbed her swollen womb, she felt her uterus contract in another series of early Braxton Hicks contractions and she slowly quietly, spoke calming words in her mother's tongue to her fetus – they weren't in English, she decided a long time a go that her child was going to have every start imaginable, and that too meant being fluent in a language other than English.

_These contractions are getting closer. Maybe they are not Braxton Hicks. Maybe I should get Hank. What does the book say?_ Thoughts swirled around in the wind rider's head as she tried to sooth her almost-first born.

_Perhaps if I go lay down for a while the contractions will stop, I have been on my feet for a very long time now doing laundry, maybe if I slow down._

She put a way the last little bit of her newly bought maternity clothes; walked over to the bed and started to cuddle with the pregnancy pillow that Remy had bought her, apparently it also doubled as a nursing pillow for when the baby comes.

"Hmmm...To breast feed or not to breast feed there is something else I need to think about" she murmured aloud even though she was by herself in her attic bedroom. Ororo finally drifted off with visions of pacifiers and crib mobiles dancing in her head.

Ororo was not sure when she woke up, or for that matter she wasn't how long it's been since she was asleep for. It was her wet, black yoga pants sticking to the inner parts of her thighs rather uncomfortably that was keeping her awake.

She casually placed her left hand under the light cotton bed sheet that somehow found itself wrapped around her body during her nap; and attempted to pry away the offending material, As her hand came out from under the sheet she noticed the rust color on her fingers.

She gasped and checked again _it couldn't be could it?_ She checked again. It was; Blood. Her mind screamed for Professor Xavier, Jean and anyone else who could hear her.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter ten: Complications.

Ororo's blue eyes snapped open, she was suddenly very aware that she was not back in the mansion in her own bed; she was not sure what gave her the feeling: It might have been the beeping of the machines, or the constant coming and going into her room while she was trying to sleep, or maybe it was the itchy arm where they poked the IV needle in.

It all came flooding back to her: the contractions, the pain in her lower back, her falling asleep and waking up, the blood. _ Oh Goddess_, her hands suddenly grasped her still full tummy, panic starting to set in _am I still pregnant? Where is everyone?_ Her mind swirled with questions and she almost cried when the door swung open and in walked two very worried looking X-men; her doctor Hank McCoy and her love; Wolverine – both very much her guardian angels, Both, looking very much worried.

"Well, stars and garters, Ororo! I'm glad to see you are finally up." He smiled behind his blue fur, and she waved as best as she could with the IV stuck in her hand "how are you feeling?" was this really a time for small talk?

Her mouth was dry but she tried to speak anyway "w-wh-why 'ma he'e?" she coughed and tried again, gladly accepting a glass of water from Logan "Thank you, Logan – Why am I here Hank? What is wrong? The baby? Did something happen to the baby?" She tried to sit up: panic, curiosity and fear marred her beautiful face.

She watched Logan's hard facial features soften quickly, the same way they softened before he had to tell someone that death had finally come for someone they loved, and she prepared herself as best as she could; "Logan, perhaps you could wait for us outside, hmm? Doctor, patient confidentiality and all of that."

Logan nodded and brushed his lips to her cheek "Yeah, sure Hank."

_Hank? He never called Beast by his given name; not unless…what happened to my baby! _Hank sat on the bed and took her hands "do you want me to give you the news as your friend or as your doctor?"

He was stalling, and she was getting frustrated "Just tell me the fucking news, Hank!" she threw her head back onto the pillow and made motions to apologize; and he shook his head.

"Ororo, you went into early labor because you have a partial tear in your placenta. We have to stop the bleeding, if we don't stop it with in 48 hours we have to deliver-" He was cut off.

"Hank! Deliver? It is too early!"

"I know, I know. I don't like it as much as you do. However, if we don't stop the bleeding we are going to have to do it; or I could lose both of you, My job right now is to make sure that you and your miracle stay healthy for as long as possible. I am going to do everything in my power to do so, okay?" he watched her nod.

"Now I'm going to have to run some more tests but I want to tell you some things on what we are going to do okay?" she nodded again – this time less scared, less frantic.

"We are going to give you saline and a little bit of blood just enough to cover some you might have lost, we are also going to give some steroids called 'Corticosteroids' to strengthen the baby's lungs in case of delivery.

I want to run some tests on you to figure out why you went into labor, preterm labor isn't something that just happens, Ororo.

Especially when your pregnancy hasn't had any major issues in it thus far. But, I want to talk to you about something serious – with Placenta Abruptus like which you have; there are a lot of complications that can ensue.

Including: the death of the fetus, the mother or both of you, and If the damage is too bad from the tear…there is a chance, Ororo that we may have to do a full hysterectomy after the delivery; IF we have to deliver."

He watched her swallow the news

"Now the nurse is going to come in and fix your IV bags but I want to ask you some questions while she is doing this, is that okay?"

Ororo nodded again "do what you have to do, Hank…just make sure that my baby comes into this world safe and healthy. Please?"

He smiled "spoken like a true mother." He walked to the other side of the room and waved in a slender redheaded nurse who had several bags with her, she watched the nurse at work and listened to Hank McCoy "Ororo, are you over the age of 35?"

She smiled "Hank you know my–" she sighed "no I'm not."

He wrote down the answer "have you ever smoked, drank alcohol or had any narcotics during pregnancy?"

She shook her head negatively again.

"Have you had an injury to your abdomen while pregnant?"

She shook her head again.

"Have you had any uterine or fertility issues in the past or problems with your cycles or anything of such nature that you have not told me about?"

Ororo thought for a moment but shook her head negatively, "My menstruation cycles have always been text book, and I have had no problems that I have known about."

Beast took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his furry nose "is this your first pregnancy?"

She nodded.

"Okay, that's enough for now; you already have a fetal heart rate monitor on you I set that up while you were unconscious, I am going to check to see if you are dilated and if you are I'm going to give you a combination of medications that will stop the contractions. There are some side effects of the drugs that I want you to read before you give me permission on whether or not to give you them."

All of this news was making Ororo's head hurt "Hank" she took his hand again "do what you need to do to save my baby. You have my permission; I will sign anything you need me to."

She was getting tired, and the blood that was being pumped through her veins was making her skin itch.

Her eyes began to droop – the loss of blood and the stress was making her fade in and out, but, Hank heard her softly mumble "whatever you need to do." Before she answered the call to sleep, that was beckoning the beautiful wind rider.

Ororo woke up again, once again she was not sure how long she was out for; and she wasn't sure what it was that woke her up: It could have been any number of things, but she was glad when she did finally wake up, because she was face to face with some very familiar, caring people – the X-men; Her family (sans Scott, who was out of ICU and in a regular room.)

She smiled weakly and tried to sit up, "hi."

"Hey, sugah; you frightened us somethin' fierce back there" Rogue smiled.

"How you feelin,' darlin'?"

Ororo nodded her head "better, where is Hank?"

"The Doc went to go grab a much needed cup of Coffee, Chere, 'ank been up 13 hours with no break workin' on your case."

Ororo smiled, _he really was doing everything he needed _"how is…"she rubbed her belly subconsciously.

Jean took her hand "you were two centimeters dilated, but they are trying to stop that, which you know because you signed the permission form. Other than that they did all they can and it's just a wait and see issue for now."

Ororo nodded "how is Scott?" she needed to get her mind off of the _what will happen now_ of her own situation.

"I'm good," everyone gasped and looked towards the door to see Scott walking around with a portable oxygen tank "a little sore, but good. Hi, everyone."

He walked around and shook all the hands of the men and kissed Jean and Ororo on the cheek, he nodded at Rogue.

"I hope you don't mind that I'm up here Ororo, I heard what happened – and I just wanted to see if you were all right. That is okay isn't it?"

She nodded.

Rogue coughed and let her head loll towards the door so the rest of the group would get the hint "we'll leave ya'll alone."

She winked at Ororo and quickly ushered the group out to let the parents reconnect.

"Hi."

"Hi."

"You can sit down if you want, if you need to, how have you been?"

"Thanks" he sat down on the bed "okay, it's weird being taught how to breathe again, they say I'll be out in a few weeks though."

She nodded "that's good, I miss you around the mansion – it is hard being pregnant _and _leader." She chuckled.

He smiled "I'm sorry, Ororo."

"For what?"

"For being an asshole." He replied, honestly, from some where deep inside his heart, "I should have been there for you with your pregnancy – I mean after all you are pregnant with my child – and I should have acted as such; and I'm sorry for all the mean and nasty things that I've said."

She nodded "you know a part of me-" she wrung her hands "wanted to hit you when you told me to abort that day and another part of me wanted to thank you, Scott."

His red tinted sunglasses met her blue eyes "thank me?"

"Hmmm" she smiled "you made me realized how strong I could be, that I can do this on my own; that I am stronger than what I give myself credit for, I mean I know as an X-men I am strong and brave and the like – but, it takes a different kind of brave to be a single mom, and I wasn't sure if I had that in me until you walked and I had no choice."

Scott returned her smile with a half one of his "I'm not sure what to say to that." He bit his lip "I'm not sure what caused me to run, I know what pain it caused when my dad 'left' and I always promised I wouldn't run if it was me – and I did. I feel like an idiot. But, I'm glad you are both okay."

He kissed her on the cheek and all the lingering feelings that Ororo thought she swallowed down until they reached the bottom of her feet risen back up to the surface again, she closed her eyes, his lips were dangerously close, and He was still dangerously married.

"You know I was serious. I know you don't want to hear it now but I was." His voice was soft, quiet, the same voice he used when he used to murmur meaningless nothings in between her bed sheets at the mansion.

His lips still lingering dangerously close to hers, and she couldn't help but whisper back her voice was full of want and curiosity when she spoke but her eyes screamed confused she wasn't sure which one was the truth "serious about what?"

"About us." He inched closer if that was even possible "about us getting married, about us becoming a family." His hand rested on her full stomach and he smiled _she is pregnant with MY child_, he thought with a sad tinge to the thought of all that he missed.

"I know you were serious, but, things are getting heavy and I am not sure what to do. I am not sure if I can be Jean's second fiddle anymore. I've wanted you to be in your baby's life Scott, and I still do – but, I do not want it to be because you had a near death experience or because you are feeling guilty.

That is not fair to me, you and most importantly that is not fair to the baby, and, she...he..." she still didn't know what she was having, "is my priority over any lingering feelings I may or may not still have for you."

She sighed and the baby kicked her in the ribs, to let her know that it knew it was being talked about "I'm sorry Scott. I love you – but I'm sick of your lines, and your bullshit." She sighed and he was taken a back by her outpouring of emotions.

He moved his lips from her personal space "but…" he wasn't sure how to continue that sentence, she was right and he knew it.

"But, you gave me my miracle Scott, and as much as you have had me on an emotional roller coaster lately – I cannot hate you for what you have given me."

"So, are you saying you don't want us to be a family?"

"I am saying; you can have whatever relationship you want with our child – you and I will always be bonded because of our little one. But, there is no 'us.' I'm sorry; I can't do 'us.'"

"I understand." He kissed her on the forehead and patted her belly gently, his child moved in response to his hand and they shared a brief smile "Ororo, I just thought you should know – I'm sorry the way things happened between us, the way they started; With Jean and-"

Ororo found herself nodding again as she brushed her finger tips over his mouth, her sense memories burned at the memories of kisses they shared. "its okay, don't say it," She had a feeling she knew what he was going to say and she didn't need to hear anymore.

He nodded "I'll let you get some rest."

"Okay."

"Take care of the little one." He rubbed her stomach again, and she fought the urge to propose marriage and telling the priest in the hospital chapel to marry them; but, there were so many reasons why that would never work out.

"Always." She stated as she watched him walk to the door with his little portable oxygen tank. "Breathe," she stated quietly when the door shut "just remember to breathe," the comment was directed at both of them – for his health, and for her sanity.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter eleven: sleep is for infants, seniors and pregnant women.

Ororo was in the hospital for four hours, and already she was going stir crazy, every so often a nurse would come in and take some notes and ask her some questions and then leave - The team of nurses and her two doctors were fantastic they could answer any questions she may have had, so long as they were medical based.

None of them could answer the questions that pertained to her heart.

The wind rider was confused she was pregnant with one man's baby (who just happened to be her best friend's soon-to-be-ex-husband).

When the father of her baby walked away, she was prepared to go on by herself, she had more than enough support with her x-family she didn't need Scott in his child's life if he didn't want to be there and of course now that she made that decision he wanted to be in their lives.

Ororo, however, found herself in love with someone else, Logan, a man technically only half of himself because of the missing memories he had suffered, she knew that when he told her 'I love both of you' he meant that whole heartedly. Although he tells her that it does not matter on whether it is his child or not he will stand up to the plate if need be; she cannot imagine putting such a high responsibility on the Canadian-born mutant.

The former Goddess closed her eyes, she would've laughed if this wasn't a situation she would've heard about: on one of those trashy mid-afternoon talk shows; she tried desperately too avoid now that she was on 'maternity leave' from the team.

She half laughed, half-sighed. She reminded herself to ask one of the girls to bring her laptop with them if she was going to be here any longer than forty-eight hours; and she laid her head back on the pillow willing for both and answer to the 'Scott versus Logan' predicament she was in, and for the arm where her IV was to stop itching.

Although her eyes were closed and her breathing even and shallow, she was in full alert; she heard the click of the locking mechanism on the door and the door clicking shut, she also heard the soft footprints of someone walking towards the bed. Her eyes remained shut, as she took in the familiar aroma of an aftershave "Doctor McCoy there is no need to sneak up on me; we are not in a danger room session."

She woke and found the good doctor standing beside her, little round glasses perched on his nose somehow made him look a little older than what he really was.

"I'm sorry Ororo I was trying not to disturb you. How are you feeling?"

She shrugged, "I would be doing better if I was not in here Hank."

He smiled a sad smile "I know, Ororo, I am sorry."

"Do not be sorry, Hank, just tell me that everyone involved is fine and I can go home and worry about having a healthy baby in ten weeks."

He smiled showing his fangs and all "that is exactly what I want to talk to you about, my dear."

"Oh"? She made a half assed attempt to get up, but stopped when she realized it was fruitless, since her child's feet were up against her ribcage _on the bright side I don't have to worry about delivering breech_ she mused, and slapped a laughing Hank's hand away when he tried to help her up.

"I was thinking about your case, and it does not make any sense and I am afraid that most of the tests that I did came out negative and were just a precautionary way to rule things out." She nodded "there are several things today that I do need to tell you."

"I'm not going anywhere, Hank. Please, my friend, sit." She motioned to the bed and he did what he was asked.

"Okay, your placenta abruption was at grade two; that means that you were symptomatic, but not enough to be in shock," She nodded trying to follow. "There was some signs of the beginnings of fetal distress, hence why you are hooked up to the monitors-they are to monitor the two of you, however, everything on that end seems to be evening out and I am not really worried about that right now to be honest with you."

She nodded _where is this going?_

"Now there are several very important, very serious things that can associated with placenta abruption and you fall into a category for a few I'm afraid: hypertension, which is prevalent in African American Woman around your age. Especially around pregnancy."

She half nodded, she was aware because of her background there would be a few more complications that Jean and Rogue wouldn't have to worry about.

She was brought out of her revere by his deep voice "unfortunately, Hypertension can lead to such complications as pre-clampsia and pre-eclampsia. However, my dear you do not have to worry about any of that."

She released the breath she was not aware of that she was holding.

"In fact, thats the thing that worries me about this whole situation; is to be quite frank with you, your pregnancy is text book-aside from the mutant gene and this placenta abruption. There was no signaling that this was going to happen at all. So I did a little more research."

The more he talked the more she was getting nervous "Hank..." her voice low, and warning.

He put a gorilla sized hand to stop her "how is your stress level at the mansion, Ororo?"

She thought about it and shrugged "it was a little stressful at the beginning with the whole Scott-me-baby-Jean-adultrous-whore-debacle"

He took off his glasses and looked at her in the a worried big brother tone "we've been over this, Ororo, you aren't a whore-you were comforting Scott in his time of need and you two fell for each other. It does not make you a whore, it makes you slightly gullible for believing his lines, but, it doesn't make you a whore."

She sighed "you always have been honest with me, Hank."

He grinned "would you expect me to be any different now that you are carrying my niece or nephew?"

She shook her head "and my stress level has been considerably lower."

He nodded, "What about your sleep pattern?"

"Ugh."

"Ugh? Not good then I take it?"

She shook her head "Its too hot and I am having trouble getting comfortable to be honest. Every time I close my eyes I'm up half an hour again later, by the time sun rise happens I am so irritated about not sleeping I just get up anyway because I know that there is no point. Why do you ask?"

He grinned "My George, Ororo, I think we have it."

"Oh?" she cocked an eye brow.

"Your body needs sleep, preferably eight to ten hours a night, especially now that you are expecting. Since your stress pattern has been admittedly messed up it is putting your body under some stress that is what caused the abruption."

She had thought for a moment, she knew that sleep was important-but, could it really have been so important it almost killed her unborn child? She put a hand on to her baby bump "so what now?"

"It is simple my dear, Ororo. First we continue in what we are doing with the medications to stop you from delivering now. When that is said and done, and I'm sure it'll be soon. You are going to change your diet."

"My diet? Okay." At this point she was willing to try anything.

He nodded "about an hour before you go to sleep I want you to prepare your self a snack or a meal to eat that is high in Trytophan: so something that is high in carbs and calcium, but medium-to-low in protein; because the amino acid makes serotonin, the neurotransmitter that slows down the nerve traffic." He registered confusion on her face and corrected himself "eat something high in carbs or proteins."

She nodded "like what?"

"Oh there are tons of stuff, I'll make you a list but since your a vegetarian some great examples would be: Rice, beans, peanuts, some peanut butter spread on some sesame crackers of a piece of whole grain bread. Things like that. I'll have one of the nurses bring you in a list of sleep foods for you. But, remember it takes about an hour for the tryptophan to reach the brain so don't do the snack or dinner right before bed, okay?"

She nodded trying to absorb the information "what if it doesn't work?"

"Fair question, it should. If things get really bad-and only in the case of an emergency you can take a pregnancy safe antihistimiene like: Benadryl, just take the lowest possible dose. Again though that is only for extreme circumstances though."

He watched her nod it was a normal thing for the daughter of N'Dare and David Munroe to nod and stay quiet when her mind was getting over loaded with information and he took her hand reassuringly

"This will all be written down, Ororo, don't worry so much okay?"

She patted his hand "I'm sorry I've been such a worrywart."

"Nonsense, I would be disappointed in you if you weren't. You'll do good with this, Ororo."

"I know that now, thank you." He broke professionalism for a brief second and kissed her on the forehead and watched her snuggle into the scratchy hospital blanket.

"Sleep now, cause heaven knows you won't get it when your little bundle comes" she was asleep before he could open the door.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter twelve: Memories like the corner of my mind.

The mother-to-be was released from the hospital exactly twenty-six and a half hours after she was admitted, however, she was put on complete bed rest the reason being that the next time she had contractions they would HAVE to deliver, and they wanted to deliver as close to her due date as possible.

She could go to the bathroom and that was about it.

Anything else she needed was to be brought up or done by the X-family and she hated being waited on, it reminded her of her time that she spent as a Goddess in Africa - she couldn't do anything on her own, without having the constant need for a body guard to be with her and she hated it then too.

She was her own woman, and liked it that way.

She understood it was for the safety and the protection of her and her unborn child and, she would have done anything for the little being growing inside of her but she was sick of asking for favors and conversations that started with "do you mind?...I would do it but Hank is being mean again."

There was a knock at the door "come in," she attempted to prop herself up on some pillows but gave up on it when she kept falling back.

It was Rogue and Gambit popping their head in grinning "hey Chere, you feelin' up for some company?"

"Oh Goddess! Yes, please!"

Her--for the lack of a better term Brother and Sister, came in with two boxes that were marked 'ORORO' in big block lettering in black permanent marker if she wasn't mistaken; those were her copies of all the photos she was in over the years.

Everyone had there own albums of memories, the one rule was that if more than one person was in a photo, you had to make a copy for all of those involved-there were countless numbers of second, third and fourth remakes of photos thanks to all the group shots everyone insisted on taking; and Rogue had a bag from a local craft store.

"What is all this?"

"Just a little project, sugah!" she winked "the professor thought it would be a good idea."

"He did? Or is he making stuff up so I won't go crazy." The snow haired weather witch grinned

"A little from column B and a little from Column C" was the response coming form the two-toned hair Southerner.

"Chere, Remy t'ink you mean a little from column A a little from column B."

Rogue mulled it over for a moment and Ororo tried to hide her laughter "Do Ah?" she looked at Ororo's face "oh whateva ya'll know what I mean."

"The professor thought it would be neat, to have a scrap book of the Xmen and you before the little X-baby is born. You now moments of us growin' up wit you and such. Show the babe what its gettin' inta."

"Awe that is a sweet idea." Ororo nodded, she gave it a passing thought earlier on in the pregnancy. However, she never gave it another thought until Rogue just now mentioned it.

"I guess it would save from everyone telling stories that started off with 'Hey Baby Munroe, did we ever tell you about the time we got your mom drunk, or arrested,' or anything else embarrassing. Deal?"

Rogue made a face: "to be fair we never tied you down and got you drunk, we just bought you the alcohol, especially on your twenty-first birthday how were we supposed to know you never drank tequila before?"

Ororo rolled her eyes that was by far the worse hangover she ever had-they ordered twenty-one drinks off the menu to celebrate her 21 years on the planet.

She was fine until the tequila, even now she finds herself fighting the urge to vomit when someone hands her that...poison.

"And Chere, you were the one who dragged _us _to that protest and got us arrested with you." Remy LeBeau stated with a hint of humor in his voice.

Ororo rolled her eyes as she remembered the Animal Rights protest against the Canadian hunt on seals and having to call Logan to bail the three of them out of jail "details, details!"

Rogue cocked her head to the side "So baby Munroe huh?" Ororo nodded "so you aren't going to give the baby Scott's last name?"

"Rogue, Chere, dat ain't none of our business."

Ororo shrugged "I do not know to be honest. He made it clear he did not want anything to do with this one, when he told me to abort, I know he tried to make up for it. Those words still stung, and he never did make an effort after that visit in the hospital."

Remy bit his cheek no one talked to his sister like that he took her hand "Remy sorry, Stormy."

"Do not be."

There was a friendly silence between the three friends and in much needed attempt to change the subject Ororo broke out the boxes with the photo albums in and spread them over the bed Ororo picked one up and looked at it.

With her index finger, the African beauty, traced over the faces. She smiled lightly and said, "Oh, I remember this..." she showed the photo to Rogue and watched her friend crack up laughing.

It was a colour photo of Jean Grey and Ororo both looking the like they were showering in flour: they were baking a birthday cake for Charles Xavier's birthday and a flour fight started between the two mutants both of them were covered head to toe in flour and were laughing and shrieking so loud the surprise was ruined for Professor Xavier (they ignored the fact that they were trying to surprise a psychic.)

In the photo Ororo: who was wearing a black tank and faded blue levi's was trying to be all serious and take a nice photo, despite being covered in baking product and, she was leaning up against the chef's counter in the middle of the kitchen her head cocked to the side and a hand under the chin she looked almost like a model-the flash bulb flashed at the same time catching Jean trying to sneak up on the weather witch to dump the rest of the flour up on Ororo's, now whiter hair. No one remembered the last time they laughed that loud and long.

In between giggles Rogue nodded her head "Ah had ta help ya wash your hair cause ya couldn't tell if ya got the flour out." She wiped the tears coming out of her eyes and she saw the stupid split face grin Remy had on her face and smacked him lightly in the chest "as in her head was over the sink, ya pervert!"

Remy blushed "Remy can dream, non?"

"No!" yelled both girls and ran into a fit of girlish giggles again, they were never going to get through this project, not that Ororo minded.

Moments passed and quiet chuckles of laughter and picture trading kept the life long friends busy; it was Remy's grumble that made Ororo look up "Remy don't remember dis photo being taken."

Ororo took the piece of developed film from his hand "neither do I." she showed it to Rogue - the photo in question was of Gambit and Storm curled up like two cats in the back of the X-Van sleeping soundly.

Rogue smiled "ah don't remember who took that one, but ah think it happened when we were driving back from Los Angeles ta see Jubiliee."

Storm's heart melted at the sound of Jubilee's name, she was now living in Los Angeles with her Aunt Hope who adopted her after her parents Dr. and Mrs. Lee were accidentally killed by hit-men "you took a photo of us sleeping?"

Rogue raised her hands "ah didn't take the photo!"

"Ya still let it happen, Chere."

Rogue stuck her tongue out at the Cajun male in the room.

"I miss her you know, Goddess, sometimes I thought that child was going to be the death of me-but my heart broke when she told us she was leaving," Rogue took her friend's hand "she still emails me and sends me photos and things, but it is not the same."

"Speaking of Jubilee," Rogue passed Ororo another photo and the former thief broke into a wide grin "I still have that shirt somewhere."

The photo was taken one Christmas two or three years ago Jubilation Lee and Ororo Munroe were standing in front of the mansion's Christmas tree the older of the two was holding a black and purple T-shirt, the gift from the Chinese-American teenager that read "Worship me like the Goddess I am"

"Why don't you wear it?"

Ororo dead panned, without missing a beat:"I don't believe in labeling myself."

She ducked at the swat the was coming from Rogue in another fit of giggles "I wore it around the house when she gave it too me, but to be honest I was never a T-shirt person, she understood that. I do use it to sleep in though," Ororo put it in the pile of photos they were going to use for the scrap book.

There were more moments of photo sorting and reminiscing when Remy broke out into a split face smile "was this Halloween, Stormy?"

She rolled her eyes at the nickname and looked at the photo and smiled "that photo was supposed to be tore up" she showed Rogue the photo.

The developed film piece was a photo of Hank McCoy and Ororo in Hank's laboratory their arms were wrapped around each other-each mutant was wearing white lab coats and safety goggles with big smiles on there faces; Ororo didn't look to be that much older than high school her normally snow white hair was multi colored in front of her face Ororo shook her head; "College level chemistry Hank decided to let me figure out what happened if I mixed two chemicals instead of just telling me. My hands were green for a week and my hair was five different colours as you can tell from the photo." Ororo's snow white hair was replaced with quite literally chunks of colour that would make any resident punk proud.

"Ah thought you couldn't dye your hair because of your mutation, Sugah?"

Ororo shrugged "I guess a chemical reaction that affects the skin is different then hair dye."

Remy frowned "why would you want to colour your hair Stormy? Remy likes your hair."

The Stormy in question rolled her eyes again "you call me that one more time, and pregnant or not I am going to hurt you." She glared but her lips tilted up to let the Cajun know that she was playing, partially. "To answer your question, I lived in Africa and have white hair-wouldn't you want to try to dye it to be some semblance of normal?"

"Mais, cheveux d'Ororo d'amour de Remy"

Ororo rolled her eyes "I admit I love it too. Now. I mean many of the girls I know where sold into sex slavery back where I grew up, we would literally wake up and the person you fell asleep beside was no longer beside you...and when you look 'exotic' the way I do you will do anything too look like anyone else just so you know you won't wake up dead, or worse."

Remy and Rogue bowed there heads "sorry, sugah, we didn't know." Rogue took her gloved hand and put it into Ororo's "so, did you ever figure out why you can't dye your hair?"

Ororo nodded "there is so much water in me and static because of my mutation it kind of...sucks out the colour."

"So how long did that last?" referring to the photo with her and Hank.

Ororo muttered "long enough for me to miss my normal hair," she thought about it and put it in the pile of photos they were going to use "at least it would work as a lesson 'don't let Uncle Hank let you mix chemicals to get-'"

She was cut off by Rogue's high pitched scream, it was some weird mixture of: anger, laughter and disgust: "ORORO IQADI MUNROE!"

Ororo's eyes widened at the use of her full name by one of her team mates "you know its not fair that you know and use my full name and I don't even know your first." Ignoring the photo that Rogue was waving around.

"What is this?"

"A photo, chere."

"Shut ya trap Remy, ya know what I mean." She shoved the photo is Ororo's face and Ororo would have laughed if she wasn't scared that Rogue probably would have hit her.

The older woman looked at the photo "I did not even know that was taken." Ororo shook her head "besides it was your idea."

"What was your idea, chere?" Remy questioned feeling left out all of a sudden.

Ororo took the offending photo from Rogue's hands and passed it too the Cajun that sat between the two women: it was a photo of the two women Rogue was sitting on the floor in between her friend's legs. The mocha hands of the weather witch was running through Rogue's two toned hair with a comb and her dainty fingers, If you looked closely which was hard to do in the photo, you would see that Rogue's hair was done in tiny micro braids, It Ororo looked like she was getting ready to do the other half when the photo was being taken: "wow Remy be impressed, Chere, How long did that take?"

"Too long!" both girls said at once and giggled again.

"Close to eight hours I think," Ororo nodded "yes, something like that, to do her whole hair."

Remy wolf-whistled "vous des dames êtes fou, why did you girls do it?"

"Boredom." Ororo shrugged "okay not really, it was a really hot summer out and all the girls wanted their hair braided so we can keep it off our face and necks, and instead of a quick French braid like Jean wanted and what I had, Ms. Complicated seen the corn rows and micro braids on T.V and asked if I knew how to-"

"Of course Miss. 'of course Ah can do it' ova hear didn't tell me it was gonna take eight hours."

Ororo uncharacteristically shrugged, "you did not ask." She fought the urge to call her child.

Remy rolled his eyes and put the photo in the 'keep' pile. He laughed as he picked another one running his hands along the developed film making sure he did not accidentally set charge to it "Remy 'member dis one. Thanksgiving, non?"

Ororo looked at the photo, smiled and nodded-the photo in question was of Ororo and Logan laughing and smiling together; she was on his back and he was

piggy-backing her around the compound.

"He said he ate too much of Jean's cooking and he 'needed to work it off with a beautiful woman'-So I jumped on his back, I knew that wasn't how he meant it. However, I was quick to point out that my weight will add extra resistance to his work out and he didn't specify what kind of work out." She winked; "I have not seen many photos with me and Logan in them. Rogue remind me to change that in the future, okay?"

She watched her friend nod and she placed the film in the pile for their little project.

"Sugah, its way too quiet in here, can I turn on the radio do you mind?"

Ororo shook her head "I do not even know if it still works, I have not used it in so long-but go ahead my friend."

To be honest, Rogue and the weather witch have been friends for so long their was no need for Rogue to even ask to turn on the stereo- and the act of Rogue asking kinda surprised the pregnant mutant. However, she saved-face. She was getting good at that.

Rogue leaned over and switched the channels "news. news. news. really dumb commercial" she said a little louder "who ever invented those radio commercials with the two people talking about stuff that no one cared about..needs to get punched..just sayin'" she went back to muttering to herself about why there is three different radio stations each one playing a different kind of 'metal' "hey what about this?"

The radio station just finished playing 'fix you by cold play' and was starting to play a new song that Ororo nor Remy didn't get at first:

"You and I must make a pact

We must bring salvation back

Where there is love

I'll be there

I'll reach out my hand to you

I'll have faith in all you do

Just call my name

And I'll be there

Remy rolled his eyes and so did Ororo "I believe the correct term for this is Irony if I remember high school English class" as she finally recognized the Michael Jackson song 'I'll be there' "I didn't like dramatic Irony in Shakespeare and I do not particularly care for it in my music Rogue, please find something else."

"Everyone's a critic," and with that she turned off the radio.

It took another half an hour before the threesome could find something for Ororo and Professor sure they were group shots, like the one of the girls in the can-can line behind his wheel chair for this birthday, and although Ororo wanted to figure out how to use that photo for the scrap book as well.

It was important for her to find a photo where it was just her and the professor. However, the search was futile and it was getting to the point that she didn't think she had any nice ones between her and the professor "et celui-ci?" Remy found a photo of the pregnant former goddess and her father figure playing chess although it was a cute photo Ororo was kinda vain about the crease lines in her forehead appeared trying to beat the powerful psychic in chess.

She shook her head.

She flipped through a few more "hey 'Ro?"

"Hmm?"

"Ah didn't know you and the professor went ta Cairo together."

Rogue was holding a photo in her hands of what looked like to be Ororo and the professor standing in a Bazaar with the faint shapes of the famed pyramids in the background, the young Ororo had to be about the age of sixteen she looked malnourished and tired but she had a smile on her face.

Ororo nodded "thats where he 'found' me Rogue, I picked his pocket. You guys know the story. I guess it was only fitting that he took me back to where we met before he took me...home," she shrugged, "goddess I look positively ill in this photo."

"Being homeless will do that too you, sugah!"

Ororo rolled her eyes "you've been quiet old friend" referring to Remy "any reason in particular?"

Remy shook his head "I guess Remy just ain't got nothin' to say Padnat."

The girls broke out into smiles again "thats a first," the imagined to say at the same time.

Ororo filed through a few more photos and she suddenly held one to her chest hugging it as if it were a teddy bear and she was a lost child. The look of unshed tears in her sky blue eyes were heart breaking and quite curious to the onlookers that were sitting on her king sized bed "oh Goddess," she whispered so softly Remy wasn't even sure she said anything.

"Stormy?"

"They were supposed to be happy, Rogue, forever, remember? God I could I do this to her, to them?"

"Who, baby?" Even during the pregnancy Ororo had this calm regal heir about her, which is hard to do while vomiting in the toilet like she was doing. She always had this-sense of self and what she was doing, even during the hormone induced mood swings. So to see Ororo suddenly shake with this unshed emotion it made Rogue nervous. Very nervous.

Ororo suddenly dropped the developed piece of film like it was a hot piece of wood from the fire place and Rogue picked it up "awe darlin'" picking up Wolverine's nickname for the snow-topped woman the photo was at taken in the mansion.

Ororo was wearing a Mrs. Clause like velvet red dress with white fur trim around the hem, collar and sleeves. She was sharing a kiss on the mouth with Scott. Jean's Scott. The photo made the kiss seem more passionate then what it really was and Ororo couldn't figure out why: Perhaps it was the dimly lit room, or the way Scott's hand seem to find her hair, or her hand seem to find the side of his face.

Ororo cocked her head to the side she remembered that kiss well; it was before Scott proposed to Jean and well before the affair started.

Jean was trying to loosen up Scott at the Xmen Christmas party so she waited until Scott was beside one his X-sisters and held the mistletoe above their head using her telekinesis: the first kiss was a chaste peck on the lips almost resembled chickens pecking the ground for grain it was so quick.

Logan and Jubilee poked fun and teased until Ororo rolled her eyes and pressed her lips on the mouth to Scott one more time.

That's when the photo was taken, right after Ororo's hands found the side of his face and right before Scott moaned inside her mouth-the kiss was supposed to be innocent and a joke between friends but either party will be lying if they said it didn't spark anything between the two leaders.

Ororo wondered if Jean knew that her husband would be the future father of her best friend's baby if she would coax the two into kissing in the first place "Chere, Remy don't t'ink its healthy dat you always blame yerself for le divorce of Scott et Jeannie Remy tink you should talk to someone about this, non?"

"Are you saying I need therapy?"

"If it helps, Stormy."

Ororo rolled her eyes and blew the hair that fell into her face out of her eyes "I am supposed to be the 'Ice Queen' the woman who doesn't break. How is it going to look that I need to talk to a doctor?"

It was Rogue's turn to jump in: "every one needs someone ta talk ta, hon! there is no shame in that. Talk to the professor if ya need ta, thats why he's there. But, Remy's right Sugah what you are doin' ain't healthy-Scott fucked up and he doesn't blame himself as much as you blame you. Hell Jean has been easier on ya then you have been on ya."

Ororo ignored the comment and looked through more photos of her and Scott to find one for the scrap book, when she couldn't find one she settled on the kiss, and threw it in the pile.

"So chere what are you going to do?"

Ororo grabbed a pillow from behind her and put it over her face like she used to when she tried to hold in her emotions, she mumbled incoherently into it she suddenly felt like a teenager on one of those WB Dramas that Jubilee liked so much.

She felt the tug on the pillow and she let go of it, "C'mon Stormy suffocatin' yerself ain't good for le petite."

Rogue held back a grin "never mind what it would do ta ya."

The Goddess knew that they were right "I know I should be happy that Scott has given me this miracle that I am going to be able to hold in my arms soon. I just..This wasn't exactly the way I thought it would happen I Mean I am thirty-one years old, unmarried, pregnant and...l..." she reached for the pillow again but Remy threw it behind him. "I just figured, daughter of a Kenyan Princess, Former child Goddess,X-Men...I would be at a different place right now. I love being pregnant I just-"

"Thought it wouldn't be with a married man who now wants nothing to do with it or you?" Rogue finished.

"Exactly."

"Ororo, baby girl, listen to me-we'd been friends of a while. Ya?"

Ororo nodded

"Okay so then listen to me when I say YA NORMAL. Ya at a crossroads. Now this is your opportunity to make the most important decision you will ever make. Forget your past. Who are ya now? Who have ya decided ya really are now? Don't think about who ya've been. Who are ya now? Who have ya decided to become? Make this decision consciously. Make it carefully. Make it powerfully."

Ororo sat slack-jawed at Rogue for a moment it was quite a day when Rogue started speaking philosophically and she knew she had to listen to her when she did.

"Fahgit about the Kenyan Princess, Goddess, Xmen stuff. Fahgit about the affair with Scott. Who are ya now, sweetie? Are you going to let one mistake ruin who ya are? Cause if ya are you should just stop living now 'cause Lord knows I don't think you can handle any more curve balls." Rogue sighed, "I know I ain't got no masters in bible studies and philosophy and stuff. But, there's a sayin' back where I come from 'ya wanna know how to make God laugh? Ya tell him you're plan.'"

Ororo smiled "I love you, you know. I'm sorry for being stupid."

Rogue hugged her careful not to touch any skin "we'll just blame it on the pregnancy." Rogue winked "look we've been up here long enough, sugah, why don't you get some sleep and we'll talk later, okay?"

Ororo nodded she hugged Remy, made sure the photos were off of the bed, and shimmied down into the blankets. She had a lot to think about. Yes, about her future. More importantly she had herself to think about. Without Scott. Without Logan. And, without the Xmen.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 13: Sunday kind of love.

This Sunday marked the 32.5 week point of Ororo's pregnancy. It was also a lazy, do nothing kind of Sunday's; no missions to worry about, nothing; And, it was being celebrated and enjoyed by everyone at the mansion.

What was more important was, it was being enjoyed by Logan and Ororo - one of the first days that they could spend with each other since they started dating 4 months ago, where they didn't involve her going to doctor appointments or him going on a mission, or training a recruit.

Ororo felt bad for Logan, he was so dedicated to her as a boyfriend; so loving, so caring, so loyal and understanding. She felt bad though because she couldn't do with him right now, the things she would normally do with a man she was in an actual relationship with.

It wasn't the sex that she was worried about, He didn't pressure her into being more intimate then what she was able to do and he often reassured her with words and phrases such as: 'not before you're ready.'

It was the date stuff she missed -- dinner and a movie often consisted of dinner in her bedroom and either late night TV until they fell asleep or a DVD.

Although she felt bad about this and has let him know how she had felt; his usual answer was "I wouldn't change all the alone time with you in the world," and she would sigh and smile contentedly in his arms while they debated to watch something get blown up or something fall in love.

Days like this were on of Ororo's favorites; they could snuggle under the covers and talk about absolutely everything and absolutely nothing; And his voice goes hoarse as he tells her about beautiful she is.

Today she had spent most of it flipping through the pages of random books; flipping back and forth between random name books and pregnancy books. Making a list of boys names, girl names and unisex names. Putting a check mark besides the ones that she loved and leaving blank the ones that she liked but wasn't too sure about.

"Logan?"

"Yeah, Darlin'?"

"Can I ask something?"

"Anything baby, you know that." He repositioned herself so that he was facing Ororo. Sky blue eyes met Sterling Grey.

He traced lazy circles with the pad of his finger on her pregnant belly, as he waited for her to continue; "are you sure? It's kind of a heavy topic."

Logan smiled and bowed down to kiss her swollen belly, he was amazed how the pregnancy made this living Goddess even more sexy and curvaceous, "Go ahead baby, what is it?"

She sighed and chuckled and ran a hand through his hair as he showed her belly more affection; "I was just looking through the name books and I was thinking about a conversation that Rogue, Remy and I had a few weeks ago, and I-" she trailed off until she gathered her thoughts completely "Do you think X-baby here, should have Scott's last name? or just Mine? Both of ours?"

Logan looked at her stomach and whispered "mama's going crazy," before he looked up at her again.

She groaned slightly as she got kicked in the ribs "baby, only does that when you speak to her."

"Her? I thought you weren't going to find out the gender."

"Its just a feeling I have. I am not sure."

"Ah."

"Logan, I'm serious. This is serious."

He spoke to her stomach again; "okay mama isn't crazy...just over analyzin'."

"Lo-gan," she ignored the second kick to her ribs, he crawled up beside her on the back to the head of the bed, "I'm serious."

"I know. I just don't think I understand the question."

"If you were in the situation I'm in with Scott, and you were Scott, would you want your child to have your last name, even though you have no interested in raising the child? I mean He or She is a part of you, yes?"

He nodded, "I get ya, darlin' I think though -- you gotta follow yer heart on this. I can't tell ya want ya think ya need to do. I mean as a guy; yeah okay I would love for my son or daughter to share my last name, but, then again, _if_ I knew that I got a girl pregnant I'd be right there with her."

She nodded "She is a part of both of us Logan. Both Scott and I. And, I want her to know both parts of her, even though his half does not want to know her. I just...I...Do not want to come vindictive, with this."

"Vindictive? How do you mean, vindictive?"

She sighed, "Maybe this is a stupid conversation" she shook her head "Forget I mentioned it."

Logan played with the ends of her white tresses, tickling them over her bare shoulder, "C'mon Hon, this is important to ya. Please tell me, if I can help I'll try okay? Just tell me what you meant by vindictive."

She took the hair from his hands and threw it over her other shoulder, "I get that Scott does not want to get involved, this is not the ideal situation for him to bring a child into and it will always remind him of...our...screw up. She will always remind him of how he screwed up the best thing that ever happened to him. I do not like it, but I get it. And, I just do not want him to hear my son or daughter's name attached to his last name and only his last name; and, have him think that I just did it to get back at him. Or for child support payments or something and I do not want any of that; I do not need any of that. I just want our son or daughter to know their father." She shrugged, Logan was sure she was going to start crying in a second; so he rubbed her back.

He kissed a bare shoulder "I think you give Scott to much credit. This is Scott that we are talking about, yea okay, he screwed up. From a guys perspective; honestly? He screwed up large. He was stupid enough to cheat on his wife, with her best friend while they lived under the same roof. Believe me, he's not as smart as we believe him to be. But, anyway; he says that he wants nothing to do with his daughter, a) thats impossible to do considering he lives under the same roof. Unless he moves out; but, he'll be giving up his position in the X-men if he does." He ticked off point on his hand, "And b) he is going to see that child and realize how much of an idiot he is being; I mean he might not want to be changing diapers and up for 3,4 and 5:00 AM feedings. But, he's not going to completely ignore that little baby. You know why?"

"Why?"

"Because something is going to happen and he's going to end up holding her. For some ungodly reason, and he is going to look into her eyes and they're going to grab his finger and he is going to be hooked; The first time they reach out for him he's never going to be able to put 'em down. They may not be callin' him Daddy, but he won't ever be able to completely ignore that there is an unspeakable bond between them."

She smiled; what is it with her being pregnant and people waxing philosophically around her? "Logan," she mused, "perhaps you are right."

He shrugged, "I have my moments." He grinned.

"It is important, for this child to know both sides. So perhaps it would be best for me to know think of combining Summers and Munroe; so..maybe it'll at least let her ask questions when she is older?"

"Is that what yer heart's sayin' to do?"

"Honestly?"

He nodded.

"Yes."

"Then you already have your answer, ya?"

She smiled, "Guess so," she leaned over and kissed him lightly on the mouth "thank you Logan."

"Go on a date with me when they're 18 and we'll call it even." He smiled.

"Why when they are is 18?"

He shrugged, "I figured it'd be the only time we'd actually have enough free time for us to go out on a real date." He chuckled.

She laughed, "Okay on Xbaby's eighteenth birthday I'll go out on a date with you."

"I'm going to hold you to that."

She nodded. Somehow she knew, that he would be around that long to remind her.


	16. Chapter 16

CHAPTER 14: The best laid plans

When Ororo Munroe met Charles Xavier in Egypt so many years ago, with his promises of helping her be able to control her mutant powers. She was scared; and admittedly so. After all, she had no idea what to expect.

On the same level she was also very happy, she didn't have to worry about: if she had to prostitute herself on her street -- just so she could get barely enough money to survive the week, she no longer had to feel guilty about stealing from a tourists wallet for a few more pieces of bread and maybe a bed that she wouldn't have to share with anyone.

She knew when her next meal was coming from when she was living with Xavier and the Xmen, and anything she needed all she would quite literally do would have to ask, and she wouldn't have to worry about having to give anything in return.

When she became second-in-command of the Xmen; it was one of the more happier moments in her life, she had schedules to follow, responsibility and battle plans for every literal and figurative battle she will ever come across on.

These "battle" plans, for a lack of a better term; came an important tool in how Ororo not only handled mutant haters and people who wanted the Xmen dead, but, they also helped her to 'plan' for her life as well.

Being an Xmen taught her how to come up with contingency plans -- four or five plans if necessary, and she secretly thanked both the Goddess and Professor Xavier for drilling it in her head; that the best laid plans can always go horribly wrong.

Ororo going into labour 3 weeks before her due date, again. Definitely a best laid plan that didn't go right in this situation, all of her contingency plans were shot to shit as well.

She was not expecting, everyone in the mansion to be away on a mission involving the brotherhood -- except for Xavier and Scott; _including her doctor and her birthing coach. _

Neither one of her contingency plans were_: what if three weeks before my due January due date, I go in labour, during a snow storm so powerful that it will block off all roads and I would end up having to deliver at home with my doctor on the com-link as he in the middle of battle magneto-telling Scott how to tell if I am dilated and Xavier telling me how to push._

This moment was definitely not in her plan 'b' 'c' or hell even 'F.' But, here she was with her legs spread apart on her mattress laying on towels; Xavier was behind her as best as he could, holding her up and counting to ten; as she fought the urge to scream. It felt like her insides were being ripped out with a burning Rake.

"...And...ten..okay..Ororo you can relax." Charles reassured her and he chuckled as she released a string of telepathic curse words, that would make a sailor blush.

Scott kept reassuring her that: 'as far as I can tell you are doing fabulously,' as far as Ororo could tell, the only thing Scott could tell about babies were how to make them.

Ororo suddenly wished, that she could pull back the storm and let the ambulance come quicker; they reassured Charles twenty minutes ago; 'they were on their way, but because of the storm couldn't guarantee a prompt arrival.'

Neither Charles or Ororo knew if she was able to keep the concentration needed for her to stop the storm and deliver at the same time. Baby is more important.

She leaned back against Charles; her forehead and neck covered in sweat "I..I..I..can't...do this..." As she breathed through another contraction and fought against the urge to push.

"Come on baby, three more pushes like the most!" Scott urged her on.

Ororo groaned as she pushed, and Charles counted to ten again "how..do...you..." she stopped half way through the pain was too much for her to handle and she could feel her vision blackening slightly; "can't..do it...stop...please?"

Charles wiped her forehead with a cool face cloth as Scott tried to figure out how to get the big head of the infant, out of the little bitty hole, especially if she was refusing to push.

Scott dialed the familiar phone number and put the receiver up to his ear and his hands under the blankets that was giving Ororo privacy. "Hank? Its Scott...yeah she's still in labour...she's refusing to push anymore though...honestly like three pushes..I'm trying to figure...yeah the head the through hole thing...tricky sucker...breathe Ororo...breathe...he he hooo...remember?..thats a good girl..sorry, what?..uh..sure."

Ororo hated listening into one side conversations, especially about her.

Scott hit the 'speaker phone' button and there were a sea of random 'hellos' and 'hey girl!' running through her ears and she chuckled, despite the pain.

"I know you're tired, Ororo, but you can do it, okay?" Jean called out.

"Yeah Darlin' just pretend we're in room wit you, since we're..well not. Stupid weather."

"Stormy just be brave and push really hard, please? Pour Remy?"

Ororo felt another contraction and she bared down like she did with the other ones, she could hear the prayers being sent her way through the speaker phone.

Scott cried, "I can see the head. Give me your hand; Rory!"

"Wh-at?" She screamed between pushes and Xavier and the rest of the group counting to ten.

"Give me your hand," she did what she was told and he placed her hand between her legs and let her feel the top of her baby's head "feel that Ororo? That's the head of our..Er..your baby...okay? A few more pushes like honestly; not even one and a half and you can see your little miracle, and hold it and all this will be over. Okay?"

She nodded and took her hand away from the baby's head and wrapped it behind her knee and prepared to push harder.

Two more minutes passed, and many tears and prayers from the team still on speaker phone, "Wait, Ororo? Rory? I need you to stop pushing, I need to get the...shoulder..out..God you make gorgeous kids."

He looked up at her from between the privacy sheet and they shared a small smile; as Doctor McCoy explained how to suction out the nasal cavity and mouth, and, get the shoulders out without ripping open Ororo completely.

"Ah'm gettin' ma tubes tied. Ah always knew 'Ro was braver than Ah was. C'mon girly! Ya can do it baby!" Rogue cringed from the passenger seat of the X-Jet as a scream ripped through Ororo.

Ororo rested her back up against Charles test and waited for the last contraction to come and for the order to push.

The rest of the Xmen sat on a plane flying into New York, cussing the weather; as it was making the long trek back home even more of a mission the actual battle between the brotherhood, (which just took them to South Dakota).

They were all reassured that the baby will be here when they come and that the team getting home safely was more important then them being present and accounted at the birth.

Although the team agreed, still the birth of the very first X-baby was imminent and they all wanted to be their supporting their sister-friend.

As opposed to being stuck on a plane and supporting her through the noisy speaker phone.

There was silence on the their end of the speaker phone; listening to Hank give directions to Scott, and Scott reiterating the directions verbatim to Ororo and Charles.

Ororo got irritated and ended Scott's verbatim practice with a blunt "I'm in labour! Not deaf! I can hear him, Scott!"

Logan and Remy couldn't help but chuckle; a few more minutes passed. A few more minutes of silence as Hank got ready to land the plane "I see the ambulance, coming up, Scott. Looks like its going to be a race of who gets their first; us or them."

Remy chuckled "Stormy, Remy loves you like a sister, petite, but only you, could deliver your baby in the worse snow storm this side of the artic, neh?" he chuckled.

There was more silence and suddenly a loud shrill cry that didn't come from Ororo.

Between active labour and Ororo pushing the baby totally out; she was in labour for about two hours; the activity (for a lack of a better term), ended with Scott telling her to stop pushing, a loud shrill cry and Scott whispering "its a girl!" as he tied the umbilical cord and laid the screaming crying infant onto Ororo's chest to let mother and daughter bond.

For a brief second the brown eyes of the daughter had met the blue eyes of the mother; and it was instant love and devotion.

Ororo wiped tears from her eyes, she didn't remember the last time she cried; she tried shushing her daughter as she counted her fingers and toes and played with her nose; "Hi Baby-girl! Goddess, we waited so long for you..." she smiled at professor Xavier who propped her up against the head board and slid back into his wheel chair.

"Congratulations Ororo. Do you have a name for her?"

Before Ororo could answer there were footsteps on the stairs and a man calling out: Scott opened the door "oh, its the paramedics! Yeah come in they're in here."


	17. Chapter 17

CHAPTER 15: Blessings

By the time; Hank landed the X-Jet, everyone filed out and changed into Civilian clothes, piled into the X-Van and drove to the hospital. Ororo and unnamed X-Baby had been in the hospital for almost a full hour and a half.

Logan was buttoning up a clean flannel shirt when there was a knock at the door, he walked over and opened it as he looked for another pair of dry socks, his got wet thanks to being thrown into the river by some no named delinquent mutant hanging out with the brotherhood .

It was Scott, still drying his already compulsively clean hands "hi,"

Logan nodded, "Hey."

It was no secret that the men didn't get along, and the fact that Scott had won Jean's heart _and_ Ororo's heart and still managed to end up alone, pissed Logan off royally; and it honestly took every ounce of strength and respect for Xavier and the rest of the Xmen not to launch Scott head first into New Croton Reservoir with a brick tied to his ankles.

Secretly Scott thought he deserved it, and was surprised on quite a few occasions when he did wake up a live; "how was battling the brotherhood?" he tried to make small talk. In hopes to get up the bravery to talk to Logan about why he was really in the room.

Logan shrugged, "Same shit diff'rent state."

Scott nodded and smiled, he missed being out on missions. So did Ororo, or at least thats what she told him anyway. He was never completely sure if she told Logan the same dreams and hopes for her future thats he used to tell him...or would've told him if he ever actually listen. _God I'm an asshole. _

"I..uh..heard about your little adventure here, with umm, 'Ro and stuff...Good job on helping her through it, Boy Scout."

The taller brunette nodded, "It wasn't like I was going to leave here alone, Logan. We take care of our own here, you know that. No matter how sordid past dramas. We're still family."

Logan smiled, Scott was amazed at how much younger it actually made the brutal Canadian soldier look younger; "ya well, Bub...Er...Scott, she might not say it; But, I know she appreciated you being here for her. An', well...So do I."

The men shook hands and they walked out of Logan's room, Logan was on his way to the hospital to see Ororo with the team and Scott knew that he was going to have to go in for the kill now, and make it swift and make it count; "It was no problem, Logan, really. I mean I did get her into this mess-it was the least I could've done."

Logan raised an eyebrow as they walked down the stairs, "The least you could've done was-"

"I know! I know! Wore a condom-"

" I was going to say'shouldn't have touched 'er in the first place.' But, that works, just as well."

The man shared a chuckle and a friendly quick silence, Scott pulled Logan into the living room so talk privately; "Logan I need to talk to you about something, and its important."

The feral mutant sighed-"yeah? Go on."

"I know I should've said this a long time ago, and, I probably should've..but, I know you are dating Ororo you guys didn't make that a secret, right?"

Logan nodded not sure where this conversation was going, but it intrigued him.

"I know I fucked up with Ororo, and I can't begin to apologize for that; I took advantage of her kind heart and I apparently messed her up quite badly; according to Jean and Rogue and Hank, and I can't even begin to know where to start to make things better. I know she deserves all the happiness in the world, Logan. And...Jeez this is hard to say, but, She has it with you. I am glad you make her happy."

Logan squinted his eyes and waited for the man with the ruby-quartz sunglasses to continue. Plus it gave him a chance to sort out his own response.

"I know, that sounds odd from me, believe me, it sounds odd me hearing me say it. There's more."

Logan was definitely intrigued, "Go on." He urged.

Scott sighed and ran his fingers through his short brunette hair, "Upstairs, made me realize that I delivered a child that I helped create. Yeah she's my DNA and because of that she's is my kid." He shook his head, " But, I am no where near the father to her or the man that Ororo needs. That has been you, Logan; right from the word go you have been there for her-and, I know you love Ororo. I need to know, though, if you love her child just as much as you'd love your own."

Scott's eyes begged for a truthful answer, but, Logan was confused where all this was coming from, so he shrugged -- again.

"I dunno how that is any of yer business Scooter. But, I'd walk to the ends of the earth for both Ororo and that little girl if I needed to. In 'n out of hell bare foot and buck naked if I the need rose. I ain't gonna step on yer toes with you and yer kid. That's between 'Ro and You."

"Thanks for your honesty."

"All I am is honest when it comes to 'Ro."

"I know. Logan?"

"Yeah?"

"If 'Ro lets you, and Lord knows she won't because she is so stubborn. But, if she lets you be a part of her daughter's life...do me a favor?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"Treat my daughter...our...sorry..treat her daughter, like you would as if she were yours?"

Logan chewed on the end of an unlit cigar he found in his shirt pocket and smiled "that is by far the easiest thing you've ever asked of me, Boy Scout."

Scott played with his glasses, "What can I say, getting a girl you saw as your sister for most of your life pregnant, getting divorced, almost dying and delivering a kid shares your DNA with but you got no emotional bond with, All with in a year, puts things in to perspective. You know when you put it like that...its been a strange little Journey to get this point hasn't it?"

Logan nodded, "That is has, Bub, that is has. You comin' to the hospital with us?"

Scott thought about it for a minute; "you think I'll be a loud to?"

The older mutant shrugged, "I knew yer history, but, you gave her this miracle, not only through all that genetic junk, but, ya deliver that little miracle as well with the help of yer hands and a little guidance from Hank."

Scott scoffed.

"Okay, Okay _a lot_ of guidance from Blue, but I git the feeling she won't turn ya away."

Scott nodded and clapped the X-men named Wolverine on the shoulder "thanks."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 16: New Journey into life.

The new mother was trying to breast feed her three hour old, still unnamed daughter, but the three hour old baby was too tired to feed, so instead Ororo spoke sweet nothings and prayers in her daughter's ears as the door the door opened.

"Hey," there was a semi-loud feminine whisper coming from the door "can we come in?" It was Jean.

Ororo waved and nodded, smiling; "sure, I have someone that I want to introduce you guys too." She put her daughter on the bed, still wrapped in the blanket and waited for the team to gather around the bed.

Scott found himself sitting on one side of the bed, while Logan sat on the other side.

"Born at 37 weeks, she weighs five in a half pounds and is 19 inches long, and, despite worry because of earlier complications-She is completely and totally healthy."

The girls cooed quietly at the baby, while the men sat and smiled and congratulated each other as if they were the ones that pushed her out.

"What did ya name her, Sugah?"

Ororo smirked, "Honestly? I still have no clue, every time I try a name on the tip of my tongue it just doesn't seem to fit at all. Nothing seems to suit her. Nothing..nothing feels complete."

"'Cept for the Journey"-Logan didn't realize he was talking out loud.

"What?" asked Ororo and the rest of the team.

Logan coughed "it was something Scooter said, earlier. Sorry. It just kinda rang true all of a sudden."

Ororo turned to Scott who was sitting on her other side; "and what is it that you said?"

He shook his head, "It isn't important."

Hank quirked a smile "it must've been if it is still ringing in Logan's ears."

Scott glared directly at Hank behind his ruby-quartz visor.

Hank grinned.

Jean spoke, "Tell us. Ororo can be the judge on whether it was important."

Scott frowned, "I knew there was a reason why I divorced you."

Jean cocked an eyebrow and folded her arms, it was to state a simple challenge and he knew it, he didn't fall for the bait.

"Essentially I told Logan: think about this year-think about all the highs and lows. All the battles we lost and won, amongst ourselves and amongst our enemies. Think back to all the times we have all cried together, laughed together, loved together." He looked between Jean and Ororo for emphasis, "And as its almost the end of the year, there is nothing more forthcoming and almost Karmic then for this little girl to bring us to the end of our journey of what was 2008." He sighed "thats all I meant."

Ororo at one point during his speech picked up her daughter and she had laid her on her chest; giving birth and the stress of company was beginning to ware on the African woman. The last little bit of Scott's speech had played on her mind and she kept staring at her daughter.

"Its perfect Scott."

"What is?"

"Team. I will like you to meet my daughter. Journey N'Dare Summers-Munroe."

However, instead of looking at the team for confirmation, or Scott. She found herself looking at Logan instead.

Logan sat further up on the bed and pulled the pink blanket away from Journey's face so he could get a better look and smiled "perfect." He whispered, and kissed Ororo on the cheek.

She smiled forgetting about the rest of the team for a brief moment, lost in their own little worlds, she found his eyes with hers and eventually she found her voice, "what is perfect? The name? Or who the name belongs too?"

The palm of his hand touched her cheek "everything."

A flash from Remy's digital camera brought them out of their little moment; "eh, sorry the flash was supposed to be off."

"It is okay, brother," she smiled "will any of you like to hold her?" she held her daughter out, still making sure she was supporting her head and body and waited for someone to take her.

It was Logan, no surprise there. He held her close to his body and stared at her for a few moments, he leaned his lips to her ear briefly and whispered something that only he, her and the two telepaths in the room would know.

He then passed her around the group so they could all have their moments with the newest member of the X-men (give or take 20 years, and of course if that is the path that she wanted to go down).

She leaned back quietly, more into Logan's arms then onto her own hospital bed, but it was nice being held, exhaustion was quickly taking over and her eye lids began to feel like lead; but not wanting to be rude she tried to fight it.

"Tired?" he whispered as he kissed her hair.

She shook her head no, but her yawning said other wise and he smiled.

"Want me to tell everyone to get out?"

She shook her head again, she had plenty of time to sleep later; preferably in her own bed at home, but she would talk Hank about that later. Instead she was enjoying the moment at hand.

Logan found himself telling her about the conversation between him and Scott that happened, just four hours ago; and she found herself smiling softly in a half dream state.

Although neither one made promises of marriage and children of their own-she was blissfully, stupidly happy.

She did what Scott had suggested: she mulled and thought over the last few years: She thought about battles won and lost in the heart and on the battle field, about tears and laughs and Although she knew she could not possibly have measured a year in spectacular moments; Ororo could measure a new beginning, and it all started with her daughter's first cry.

As she looked at the bundle of joy wrapped in a pink blanket and a mass of curly brown hair that was her daughter; she couldn't possibly think of another journey she would rather start-then that of motherhood.


End file.
